Starting Over
by GSR4ever87
Summary: After the events of Season 4 finale, Grissom wants to start his friendship over with Sara, will she agree to that, and if so, will something more eventually happen? Also, wanting a change for her and her daughter, Catherine makes a difficult decision that will not only change their lives, but down the road, one other. More details inside.
1. Staring Over?

Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters

Summary: After the events of Season 4 finale, Grissom wants to start his friendship over with Sara, will she agree to that, and if so, will something more eventually happen?  
Also, wanting a change for her and her daughter, Catherine makes a difficult decision that will not only change their lives, but down the road, one other. More details inside.

AN: Those of you who've looked at my profile and read my other non GSR stories, knows that I am also a Ducaine fan from CSI: Miami, and currently I started a series with them called 'A moment can change everything.' Well, to make a long story short, this GSR story is part of that same universe, but you don't have to read that one to get this one, unless you want to read a little more about Catherine, and especially Lindsey. I also want to give you a heads up that there is a little spoiler about GSR, and Catherine for that matter, later in that story, so keep that in mind if you ever want to read that before finding out what happens in this one. I hope you give this a chance and enjoy it.

AN#2: I also want to apologize to those who already knows what happens before getting this one. I just didn't come up with the idea of this story until after I was done with that one.

Title: Starting Over  
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Drama  
Rating: T  
Spoilers: Subtle mentions of multiple episodes throughout the seasons 1-5  
Time-line: Starts right after season 4 finale  
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior  
Main Parings: GSR  
Minor Parings: ?  
Other Characters: Nick, Greg, Sofia (Mention only), OC

* * *

Chapter 1: Staring Over?

May, 2004

After walking out of PD, Grissom walked them towards his vehicle, and once Sara was in the passenger side, he walked to the driver's side and got in before starting it and driving them towards her apartment, which was done in complete silence and tension filled.

There was so much he wanted to tell her, including how scared he was about getting the phone call tonight, thinking the worst before he found out what actually happened, while she was ashamed that she let her drinking get this far and that he was the one that had to come and get her from the police station.

When she had accepted to come here four years ago, she never imagined it being this bad between them or her going down this dark path, she just knew something had to change, and quickly, because if not, she was afraid on what could happen next.

She sighed and closed her eyes while shaking her head from that thought, which Grissom heard the sigh, so he asked softly. "Are you ok?"

She opened her eyes a second later before looking out her window again as she whispered. "I'm fine."

He cringed a little as he heard the words and tone, knowing those words meant the opposite of how she was really feeling, hearing them too often lately, and wanting to kick himself for not being more aware of how she was really doing.

Once he finally pulled into her apartment's parking lot, he stopped in front of the building, and after a moments pause, they looked at one another and started to speak at the same time.

"Grissom I..."

"Sara, I'm sorry."

They slowly smiled at one another before she spoke first this time as she lost her smile. "What are you sorry for?"

He took a breath before he replied softly. "The way things have been between us after your first year here. I know now that my pushing you away the last few years made you feel like you couldn't come to me, so I'm sorry, I never wanted things to get as bad as they did."

Not able to stop herself, she asked. "Why did they? Why did you start pushing me away?" Grissom's heart started to race while he opened his mouth, then he closed it and looked in front of him, not able to get the words out, and Sara, who had seen his hesitation side all too often and wasn't in the mood tonight, sighed, almost in a defeated way, as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Goodnight, Grissom."

When he heard the door open, he looked over at her and spoke in an almost pleading tone. "Sara, wait!"

She looked over at him and shook her head slightly. "For what? I don't know..."

Grissom cuts her off. "Can uh, can we start over?"

She raised an eyebrow as she asked. "Excuse me?"

He nodded his head, took another deep breath and continued. "I may not have the right to ask this, but can we start our friendship over, just wipe the slate clean and start from the beginning, do you think it is possible?"

Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, her heart couldn't help but melt at the sight, but before she agreed to that, she asked. "If I do agree, you have to promise me we won't go back to the way it was the last three years. We talk, and I mean really talk, get to know each other again." Then she ended softly as she looked out in front of her. "I've really missed you, Griss. I've missed the friendship we had before everything went wrong."

Building up all the courage he had, he moved his hand and placed it over her left one, which was on her thigh, both feeling the sparks instantly as their eyes met again, then he whispered. "I've missed our friendship too, Sara, and I promise we'll talk, really talk."

What they felt towards one another, which had always been there under the surface, even if there was a denial, mostly on his part, was more than friendship, and as much as they would love to just jump right into the type of relationship they've always wanted, they  
both knew they should and felt better about taking it one step at a time.

Seeing in his eyes he was serious about this and really was tying to make an effort here, there was no way she was going to turn her back on him now, so she slowly smiled with a nod. "Ok, let's start over."

Grissom gets that smile that always made her heart race, and not only for her words but also seeing a genuine smile on her face, something he honestly hasn't seen in a long time, which made him want to kick himself for that too.

He mentally shook his head before nodding in return. "Thank you, I promise things will be different now."

She saw the truth in his eyes and in his tone, but the actions needed to be there too before she really believed him, so she nodded. "I want to believe you, I do, but..."

He cuts her off as he lightly squeezed her hand. "I know, actions speaks louder than words most times, and I'll really try my best."

Feeling emotional, but keeping them inside, she nodded with the smile still on her face. "I know that, and I will too. After all, this friendship is a two-way street." He just nodded, and as they sat there, they continued to look into each other's eyes while his hand was still on hers, but neither one seemed to care.

Eventually though, they knew they needed to part, so she cleared her throat and started to speak after several seconds of silence. "I should get inside."

With his hand still on hers, he nodded again. "Ok."

"And Griss?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I said I'm fine, but can I..."

He cuts her off with a smile. "Take all the time that you need."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

After another moment, he finally removed his hand, both missing the feeling instantly, but hiding it as she turned towards the door and finally pushed it open all the way, and while she was getting out, he cleared his throat and asked. "Breakfast in the morning?"

Her feet touched the cement before she turned to look at him trough the opened passenger door with a smile. "Yeah, just let me know when."

"I will, goodnight, Sara."

"Goodnight, Grissom."

When she finally closed the door, she headed for the entrance to her building while Grissom watched the whole time to make sure she got in alright before he started driving again, going back to the lab with a smile.

* * *

When Grissom got back to the lab, he was suppose to be working on some paperwork that he had been neglecting for awhile, which was nothing new, and while he did get some of it done, he also ended up letting his mind wander, his thoughts turning to Sara, and once again this wasn't new to him. He couldn't even say how many times he caught himself thinking of her from the moment they had met. However, what was new to him about his thoughts about her was that it wasn't just about her, like the way she smiled, laughed, or even how it felt to watch her process a crime scene, these thoughts turned to how their first date could be, their second, even their third, how a life with her could actually feel like.

Now he knew that even if they did restore their friendship to what it once was, even greater than before, there was no guarantee it will go further than that.

But he also knew he had to at least try because day by day he was getting tired of hiding how he felt, if getting that phone call earlier had reminded him on anything, it was that one moment can change everything, and if something ever happened to her and he didn't say how he felt, he would never forgive himself, especially if he knew she did in fact feel the same way and they missed out on the life they could have had, so he was hoping that what she said last year about by the time he figured 'it', meaning them, out, he could be too late, wasn't true. Which if things had turned a more dangerous way for her tonight, that statement couldn't have been truer.

He mentally shuddered at the last thought, which made him aware of his surroundings again, and that also meant he finally heard Catherine, who had been saying his name a couple of times, so he mentally shook his head again before looking up at the blond, who had a smile on her face. "You thinking about buying a new bug or an answer to a crossword puzzle you've been stuck on? Because I don't think I've ever seen you that deep in thought before." Then she lost the smile a little as she asked. "Unless your hearing is failing you again?"

He shook his head and waved off her concern. "My hearing is fine." Then he cleared his throat and asked. "What's up Catherine, you're here a little earlier than usual."

Knowing she wasn't going to know what he had been thinking about so deeply, she just pushed that thought away before answering. "Do I have to say more than one word, paperwork?"

He shook his head with a smile before smirking in a sarcastic tone. "Nope, it is the joys of being a supervisor."

Even though technically she was just an assistant to one, she did have more paperwork than if she was still a level 3.

She nodded with a small smile before she sighed and continued. "I also need to talk to you about something."

Feeling this conversation was taking a more serious turn, he moved back in his chair and held out his hand towards the chair that was in front of his desk to indicate she could sit down, and after she did, he asked. "Ok, what about?"

Catherine took a moment to gather her thoughts before telling him something she never thought she would. "This wasn't an easy decision. I even went back and forth a few times before making it, but ultimately I believe it's the best move. I have decided to leave Vegas."

To say that Grissom was shocked was an understatement, and honestly at first he thought she was joking, but when he saw the seriousness in her eyes and a little sadness, he knew she wasn't, so he took his glasses off as he replied softly. "Cath..."

She cuts him off, trying to keep her emotions intact. "Things have been getting worse with Lindsey, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my daughter. I think a different scenery for the both of us is for the best."

Grissom took a moment or two to process what his oldest friend had said, then he cleared his throat before speaking. "I don't think I have to tell you how much of an assist you are to this lab, or how much I will miss working with you." Catherine smiled as a few tears started to come to her eyes, hearing how sincere he was. "But, if you really feel this strongly on leaving, then do it, I support you 100%"

She swiped the tears from her eyes before nodding after clearing her throat. "Thank you Grissom for everything you said and taught me, I owe a lot to the type of CSI I am to you."

Always not able to take compliments, not that he didn't appreciate them though, he gave her a shy smile and nod before asking after clearing his throat. "So, is there a specific place we are losing you to?"

"Miami."

He raised an eyebrow as he smirked. "Miami, I see, so you've kept in touch with the supervisor there, huh?"

About two years ago they had a case that lead them to Miami, and he sent Catherine and Warrick down there to investigate it.

Getting where he was going with that, she shook her head with a smile. "Strictly as friends." When he gave her a 'yeah right, I believe you' look, she continued. "It's true. Besides, I believe he has his eye on someone else." After he just nodded, she spoke again, getting them back to the original conversation. "So, will a month be enough time for you to find someone to replace me?"

He shook his head a second later before replying. "Replace you? Never could happen, no matter how many people get interviewed for the job, but to find someone to put on the team, I think that can be done."

Even though she knew he meant those words as friends, it still warmed her heart that he thought of her like that, and she nodded with a smile as she stood up from the seat, then as she started walking towards the door, Grissom spoke again. "And speaking of the team, when do you want to tell them?"

She stopped at the closed door before looking back at him. "How about after shift?"

"Usual eating place?"

"That sounds about right."

"Alright."

She nodded one more time before finally walking out of his office, which as she did, he took a breath as he slowly puts his glasses back on.

It looked like more than one thing was about to change in his life, and while he wasn't exactly thrilled about one of them, he just wanted his friend to be happy, while the other one, well, time will tell if it will be the best change of his life.

* * *

AN: Hope it was ok. Thanks for reading and please review, more to come.


	2. Telling the Team

AN: Thanks for the reviews and support. Here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 2: Telling the Team

After Shift

As Nick and Warrick were sitting in the break room, finishing up their paperwork from the case they had completed, Grissom walked into the room, and as he was going to the sink to clean out his coffee mug, he spoke to them. "Breakfast on me this morning, you guys in?"

Both guys looked up from their paperwork to look at their boss, who had turned to look at them, and Nick asked in a shocked tone. "Really?"

The last couple of years their team breakfast had been pretty much non-existent, at least when it concerned having them with Grissom. Nick, Warrick, Sara, and lately, sometimes Greg, would share a meal together once or twice a week, with Catherine there every once in awhile, but they honestly couldn't remember the last time Grissom was even there.

The older man nodded with a small smile. "Really. I know it's been awhile, but I was hoping we can change that."

He didn't only ask because Catherine needed to talk to them, he has come to realize that he not only pushed Sara away the last few years, but the other team members suffered too, so having a fresh start with Sara wasn't the only person he wanted one with.

The guys started to smile as Nick nodded. "Ok, sure, I'm in."

Warrick nodded in agreement. "Me too."

Grissom nodded in return. "Alright, how about you come in early and finish up those reports."

They nodded again as they closed up their files, then as they stood up, Nick asked. "What about Sara and Catherine?"

"Catherine is already on board, and I'll call Sara to let her know." They nodded one more time, and as they were walking towards the door, Grissom finished. "And why don't you see if Greg is available."

Warrick replied first this time with the smile still on his face. "You got it, boss." Before they finally walked out of the room.

Grissom smiled as he finished cleaning his coffee mug, then after placing it in the cupboard, he started walking out of the room, pulling his phone out of his pocket, hitting speed dial number one, placing it up to his ear and waited.

A second later that beautiful voice was heard.

"Sidle."

"Hi, Sara it's me."

On her end of the phone, she smiled. "Hi, what's going on?"

He walked into his office and closed the door while replying. "I uh, I wanted to inform you that plans have changed a little."

Feeling a little disappointed, but trying to hide it, she replied. "Oh I see, work? I mean I get it, I..."

He cuts her off as he sits down in his chair. "It's not work, technically breakfast is still a go." He paused for a second before lowering his voice, not that he really needed to since he was in his office with the door closed, but he wanted to make sure she understood. "But in a different way than I had wanted."

Which she did, and not able to stop herself, Sara smiled again as she asked with a smirk. "And how did you envision our breakfast together?"

Feeling his heart race, he replied after clearing his throat. "Well, I was hoping for it to be just the two of us, either I cooked at your place or mine, or I brought something over from the diner."

There was a pause, and Grissom was hoping he didn't step over the line, but then he got a huge smile on his face a second later when she responded. "Bummer, I think I would have enjoyed that breakfast."

Not able to stop his next words, he asked in a hopeful tone. "There is always next time?"

No hesitation on her part while the smile was still on her face. "And I'll be looking forward to it."

He spoke softly again. "Me too."

There was another slight comfortable pause as they soaked up those words, before she got them back to the reason he was calling, understanding what he was saying. "So, it turned into a team breakfast?"

"Yeah, and as part of the team, you are invited. In fact, I insist that you do come."

Hearing the end of his sentence, she asked in a concerned tone. "Griss, is everything ok?"

"I wish I can tell you, but it isn't my place, just please come."

"Ok, I'll be there."

"Alright, do you need a ride?"

"Nope, I got it covered."

"Aright, bye Sara."

"Bye, Griss."

After they hung up, he closed is phone and placed it his jacket pocket, then after a sigh, he closed his opened files, got up, grabbed his briefcase, walked out of his office and closed the door before he walked down the hall so he could leave the lab and head to the diner.

* * *

Once they had arrived at the diner, they sat at their usual table, or the usual table when there was two more people added to the 'party', ordered and waited until their food came, passing that time and eventually their meal with stories about the past.

As the meal was coming to an end, Catherine and Grissom shared a look, and she nodded before taking a last sip of her coffee, then after setting the mug back down on the table, she spoke after clearing her throat. "I have something I need to say." They all stopped with what they were doing and their attention went to the blond before she spoke again. "First of all, thank you for coming this morning, I know Grissom was the one to invite you, but he mostly did it for me."

There was a pause before Nick asked in a concerned tone. "What's going on Catherine?"

She took a moment before responding. "I've decided to leave Vegas."

Everybody, well outside of Grissom, looked shocked, and if someone had been drinking something or eating something, it would have been spit out or chocked on, then Warrick, who was shocked the most, asked. "Why?"

Not able to keep eye contact of the man she secretly had feelings for, but knew she could never have, told them her reasoning, where, and honestly believed it was for the best.

When she was done, and with the shock still in them, Nick spoke first. "Wow, I got to admit that IF I thought that one of us was to leave the team or Vegas first, you would have been one of the last people I would have thought to do that." He took a moment before he cleared his throat and finished, trying to keep his emotions intact. "That being said though, if this is something you believe is the right thing to do, then I support you 100%"

Catherine smiled with tears in her eyes as she reached her hand to touch Nick, who was sitting across from her. "Thank you Nicky."

As Nick nodded, Sara and Greg also showed her their support, then she looked over at Warrick, who was sitting at the end of the table to the left, and asked softly. "Warrick?"

Still trying to process what was going on and trying to surpass the sad feelings he had on her leaving, he cleared his throat and nodded before replying with a small smile. "Of course I give you my support, I just want what's best for you."

"Thank you, Warrick."

After Warrick nodded, he looked back down at his coffee mug, still hoping that this was just a very bad dream.

After a second had past, Catherine spoke again. "I better go, thanks again for being here this morning." They nodded as she stood up, then she looked at Grissom. "And thanks for breakfast."

Grissom nodded before she turned and walked out of the diner while the team watched her until she was out of sight, then a few seconds later, Warrick drinks the rest of his coffee before getting up and saying. "Excuse me, I'll see you guys later." Before walking away from the table and out of the diner.

When it was just the four of them, Greg spoke. "So, this is really happening? She's leaving and there is nothing we can do to stop it?"

Nick spoke as he stood up from the table. "Sorry man, when Catherine wants to do something, it's getting done, no matter what." He then says 'goodnight' before also leaving, and Greg wasn't that far behind.

As Grissom, who had been seated next to Nick with Warrick on the other side of him, takes the last sips of his coffee, Sara, who was seated at the right end of the table, looked at him with sympathy, knowing that losing Catherine, not only from a team member standpoint, but an everyday friend standpoint, could be hard on him. "How are you doing?"

There was a pause before he replied. "Surprisingly, ok. Yeah, it sucks that she's not going to be around everyday." He then smirked. "Keeping me in line, especially when it comes to my paperwork." She chuckled a little before he continued. "But as long as she feels it is the right move, I can't fault her for it, like what Warrick had said, I only want what's best for her." Then to make Sara understand how he meant that so there was no confusion on how he felt about the blond, he finished. "As any good friend would want." Getting what he meant, she nodded with a smile before he continued once again with a sigh. "But that being said, it does pose a problem where the team is concerned."

Sara nodded again in understanding. "You need a second hand man."

He looked at her softly as he whispered. "Or Woman." She smiled shyly before looking down, while he sat there a little happy he can still make her feel like that, only making him a little more confident on their potential future.

When she looked at him again, she cleared her throat before speaking. "You do got two good options to promote within the team, Nick and Warrick."

He raised an eyebrow as he asked. "You taking yourself out of the running?"

"I am."

He took a breath before he started to speak. "Sara, if this is about..."

Sara cuts him off while shaking her head. "It isn't, was I hurt that I didn't get the promotion, yes of course, but after what happened last night and I had a lot time to think it through, I've realized that I'm not ready to run a team." She stopped for a second before replying with her heart racing. "Besides, I think apart of me that wanted it so bad was so I could be distracted, probably not the healthiest choice of a distraction, but one nonetheless, and now I think I might have a new distraction."

As they looked into each other's eyes, Grissom could read what she meant and that got him to smile a little, making her smile, before he nodded in understanding and spoke again after clearing his throat. "Just know that I really do believe in your abilities as a CSI, and that one day I can see you running your own team. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel otherwise."

Feeling emotional, but keeping them inside, she replied softly. "Thank you, that really means a lot coming from you."

"You're welcome, and I meant every word."

Seeing that in his eyes, she nodded before asking with a smirk. "So, who is it going to be, Nick or Warrick?"

Grissom picked up his coffee mug to take the last sip of his coffee before he sets it down and replied. "Good question."

* * *

AN: Hope it as ok. Thanks for reading and please review, more to come.


	3. Saying Goodbye

AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3: Saying Goodbye

One month later

June, 2004

Before everybody knew it a month had passed, and it was time to say goodbye to Catherine.

After shift ended, they were all in the break room, and after a moment of just looking at them, she gave them a smile with tears in her eyes. "It's not like we can't visit one another or keep in contact."

They nodded with smiles before Greg walks up to her first and gives her a hug, and she hugs him back as she spoke. "You will be a great CSI one day, don't ever give up on what you want."

"I won't, and thank you Catherine."

As they pulled back, she nodded with a smile before looking at Sara, and she nodded with a smile as they share a hug. "I know things weren't always perfect between us, but I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Sara." While they pulled back, Catherine spoke to her again after looking at Grissom. "I guess now it's your turn to keep that man in line."

Everybody chuckled while Grissom rolled his eyes with a smile as Sara nodded with a smirk as she looked at him with pursed lips. "Well, somebody's got to do it."

They chuckled once again while Sara and Grissom shared a friendly smile.

Since they agreed to start their friendship over, things between them has been better than ever. They didn't know each other's deepest secrets yet, but their conversations, at times, have gone to their personal lives.

The women share one more smile before Sara stepped away and Nick walked up to her next, both sharing a tight hug. "I know you'll be an excellent assistant to Grissom, it has been a pleasure working with you all these years, watching you become the CSI you are today."

Feeling emotional, Nick replied softly. "Thank you Cath, it's been a pleasure working with you too, and I am honored to call you my friend."

She ran her hand up and down his back as she responded. "Me too, take care of yourself, and be safe."

"You too."

As they were pulling back, Nick gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek, then after they smiled at one another with tears in their eyes, he moved to the side while she wiped a few tears off her cheek as she walked up to Warrick, who had been standing by the end of the table.

Once she stopped in front of him, she took a breath before speaking softly. "When I knew my marriage was over and after Eddie had died, you were one of the first to reach out to me and be there for me and Lindsey, and there are no words that I could express to you on how much that meant to me. You are one of my best friends and I'm going to miss you."

Hiding his emotions better than Nick, Warrick nodded with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her, never wanting to let her go, but knowing he had to. "I'm going to miss you too, be safe out there, and if you ever need anything, just call me."

Holding him tight, also not wanting to let him go, even though she knew she had to, she replied. "I will, and you be safe too."

They held each other a little big longer, silently saying how much they love one another, before pulling back, and when their eyes met again, he cupped her cheek and wiped her tears away, making her smile slightly.

After he removed his hand, Catherine turned around and looked at the man that had been her friend the longest here. The man she's known for over 10 years, but then again felt like there was so much more to him than what met the eye. He was frustrating at times, making her so mad that she wanted to turn her back on him, but then he would give her that Grissom smile or say something clever that would make her remember why she's stayed friends/co-workers with him all this time. He could also be complicated at times, but then again, she wouldn't have it any other way, because he wouldn't be the Grissom she knew and loved as a friend.

He gives her a small smile before clearing his throat and speaking. "How about I walk you to your vehicle?"

She nodded with a smile in return. "I would like that."

After he nodded, Catherine looked at her team, or should she say ex-team, and gave them one more smile and nod before walking out of the room, Grissom following right behind her.

When they arrived at her vehicle, she spoke with a smile. "Thank you."

He raised an eyebrow as he asked. "For what?"

"For everything, but mostly for being one of the best friends I've ever had."

He smirked. "I'm sure there were times when you wished I wasn't."

She chuckled a little before replying. "You didn't make it easy all the time." Then she continued sincerely. "But overall, I'm glad you were, and I'm going to miss you."

He sighed as he nodded. "Me too Cath, good luck and be careful out there."

She wrapped her arms around him, causing him to tense a little, not use to being hugged by people, before he wrapped his arms around her as she whispered. "You too."

After they pulled back, she gives him one more smile before heading to the driver's side of her vehicle and getting in, then after a wave, she started her vehicle and began to drive out of the Las Vegas lab's parking lot for the last time, or at least the last time as an employee.

Grissom watched her leave until he couldn't see her than he took a breath before turning and walking back inside, sad to see a good friend leave.

* * *

Once he walked back into the break room, then after the guys left the room a few minutes later, Grissom asked Sara if she wanted to have breakfast with him at his place, and she agreed, so they also walked out of the room before going in different directions so she could go to the locker room while he want to his office to get their things and leave the lab.

When they arrived at his condo, they headed right for the kitchen after hanging up their coats on the hanger and dropping their bags by the door, then as he started cooking their omelets, she sat on one of the barstools to watch him just like she's done the other times he's cook, whether it was here or at her place.

After breakfast was done cooking and they were seated at the dinning/kitchen table, they started to eat with a little small talk, then as they were finishing up, she asks. "So, how are you doing with Catherine officially being gone?"

He took a breath while he reached for his glass of milk. "I mean I know she's gone, but I don't think it has exactly hit me yet." She nodded in understanding, because she felt the same way before he spoke again after taking a sip of his milk. "But I have a feeling when shift starts later tonight that it will, the team is about to be different."

Not only is this the first night that Nick will be the assistant supervisor, but will have a new member on the team named Carly Hughes, who had transferred from the day shift as a CSI level 2.

She nodded again before she cleared her throat and looked down at her almost empty plate. "I don't know if I should say this, but when I first came here, I was a little jealous of you two."

She didn't see his shocked face, but felt his hand on hers before hearing his soft voice. "Sara, the only thing that was ever between us, outside of co-workers, was friendship. That's all it was meant to be between us."

Now that a particular door was opened, she asked softly as she looked into his caring, blue eyes. "Just like you and me?"

Grissom's heart started to race nervously and he was thinking about taking his hand off her arm and clamming up, but he didn't, he had made a promise to try to be more open and he wanted her to understand where he was coming from, so he continued. "While I do want there to always be a friendship between us, I uh, well I was hoping that it will become a little more than that in time."

Still nervous, he sat there watching her reaction, and after a moment or two, she started to smile, making his heart race again as she replied with a nod. "Ok."

He raised his eyebrow at her response. "Just ok?"

She nodded again with the smile still on her face. "I'm just making sure we are going in the same direction."

She didn't need or expect his full declaration of love right here and now, mostly because she didn't want him to be scared off and run away from what they were slowly building, but she did want to make sure there was no miscommunication or botched signs about where they were heading.

He started to smile with a nod. "Then I believe we are."

They sat there smiling at one another a few more minutes before he finally removed his hand, both missing the touch immediately, and going back to finishing their meal, feeling a little better, even though they said goodbye to a colleague today.

* * *

AN: Hope it was ok. Thanks for reading and please review, more to come.


	4. Getting Closer

AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter.

*Reference to the episode: 'Mea Culpa' but with my added twist to it, well more than the obvious with Catherine not there.*

* * *

Chapter 4: Getting Closer

Four Months later

November, 2004

After Grissom left Ecklie's office, completely upset, he walked right to the break room to see Nick and Warrick sitting at the conference table, so he spoke immediately. "Breakfast on me, meet you there in five minutes."

Noticing it was more of a demand than question, the guys nodded before Nick spoke. "Sure."

Grissom just nodded in return before walking down the hall towards his office while Nick and Warrick looked at one another, wondering what was going on, before they got up from their seats and headed for the locker room so they could get ready to leave.

As Grissom made it into his office, his cellphone vibrated in his pocket, so he pulled it out and flipped it open to see Sara's text message. 'Breakfast?'

He smiled slightly before texting back. 'Your place?'

He gets to his desk to grab his briefcase, but before he picks up, his phone vibrates again. 'Ok, I'll go to the store then.'

'Sounds good, I'll be there about an hour?'

'See you then.'

He places his phone back in his pocket, finally grabs his briefcase before he walks out of his office.

* * *

After arriving at the diner around the same time, they headed for their other table, the one they sit at when there was only four or less of them, and sat down.

It only took a few seconds before the blond haired waitress walked up to them and asked what they wanted for breakfast, and after Warrick and Nick ordered, the waitress looked at Grissom, and he just shook his head with a polite smile. "Just coffee for me, please."

She nodded with a smile before turning and walking away, and Nick spoke when she was gone. "What's going on Griss? We aren't in trouble, are we?"

"No, you aren't."

There was a slight relief look on their faces, but confusion was still there. However, before he could continue, the waitress came back to the table with their drinks, and after setting them down, she walked away again, leaving the guys alone.

Grissom picked up his coffee mug and took a sip before he spoke after a sigh. "But, there are going to be changes within the lab, starting immediately." He then looked over at Nick first. "Nick, you'll become supervisor for the swing shift." Nick looked at him in shock while Grissom looked over at Warrick. "And Warrick, you'll be going with him, along with Sara."

Now they both looked shocked as Warrick said. "What!?"

As Grissom nodded, Nick sighed deeply before he commented. "Ecklie, huh?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Nick continued. "I'm sorry, Griss..."

Grissom cuts him off with a small shake of the head. "It isn't your fault, none of you are at fault." He took a breath before he shrugged his shoulders a little. "He wanted to break-up the team, so he broke it up. I don't think there was anything anybody could have done."

They nodded in agreement, knowing Ecklie, before Warrick spoke. "So, who's going to tell Sara?"

Grissom was quick to answer. "I will, she should hear it from me."

After they nodded, it wasn't long before their food came, and while they were eating, they were engaging in a little small talk, then once Grissom was done with his coffee, he asked for the bill, and when it came to him, he looked at it, placed the money and tip on the table, stood up before looking at the two guys he's watched grow into the CSI's they were now, two of his first CSI 'students'. "I am so proud of both of you, and despite how this is happening, you guys deserve this, so continue to be the CSI's I know you are meant to be."

They looked up from their almost empty plates with smiles as Warrick replied with sincerity. "Thank you, Griss, we won't let you down."

"I know, now eat up, you guys should go home and get some rest."

They both now sighed before Warrick spoke again. "That's right, we got to get use to a whole new sleep schedule."

Grissom pats him on the shoulder before he walked out of the restaurant so he could go to Sara's and tell her the news, and as much as he knew he was going to miss working with Warrick and Nick, losing Sara from his team is the worst part of the team break-up.

* * *

Once Grissom made it over to Sara's place, and after he was invited in, he didn't waste much time on cooking, moving around her kitchen like he has been doing it for years, when it has only been a handful of times, but either way, Sara liked watching him.

When breakfast was finally done cooking and they were sitting on the barstools at the kitchen counter, Sara couldn't help but feel that he was distracted about something, so she asked after clearing her throat. "Griss, you ok?"

He shook off his dazed state as he looked up from his almost empty plate to look at her, seeing the concern in her eyes. "I'm sorry, what?"

She then gave him a warm smile. "I just asked if you were ok, you seem a bit off, no offense."

He gave her a little smile before shaking his head. "It's ok, and yes, I'm ok, or at least I'm not sick or anything like that."

"But it is something, am I right?"

He took a breath and nodded. "Yeah, Ecklie called me in a meeting and he has decided that our team should be split up. Nick is the supervisor of swing shift while you and Warrick will be reporting to him now."

Sara's eyes got wide as she stood up from her barstool, fuming. "What!? That's bull, you are a good supervisor, this should not be happening." She paused for a second then sheepishly continued. "I mean there are some areas in which you exceed at more than others, which I don't really blame you..." Before he could speak, she continued, once again upset, without thinking about what she was saying, just going with how she really felt.  
"But I mean come on, they can just look at the lab ratings from before you got here to when you did, and they can see the results. You are a wonderful teacher and boss, of course you've always been more than either of those things to me, so my opinion maybe biased, but you can ask anybody else that has worked with you, and I don't think you'll find any one else that says otherwise. I should go down there and give him a piece of my mind...yeah, I really should."

She started to walk towards the door, but Grissom, who was still shocked at something she had said, took her wrist to stop her, the ever present sparks flaring up, but they tried to ignore it as he finally spoke softly. "For one, going down there to give him a piece of your mind will only hurt you, and the guys need you, so please think before you act."

Feeling his calming presences around her with not only his hand still holding her wrist, but his caring blue eyes, she nodded with a sigh, closed her eyes for a second and took a breath before looking at him again. "You're right, I'm sorry. I just really think you got a raw deal on this one." Then feeling a little calmer, she commented. "But, I guess it's Ecklie, so what do you expect?" He couldn't help but nod in agreement with a small smile before she asked with a raised eyebrow. "And was there a 'secondly' because you said 'for one' to calm me down."

This time he shyly smiled before taking his hand off her wrist and cleared his throat. "Yeah, you um, you said something about seeing me more than a teacher and boss?"

Thinking back to what she had said, she remembered those words coming out of her mouth, and this time she shyly smiled in return. "Yeah, I guess I did." She then bravely took his hand this time as she continued sincerely. "And I meant them, I mean why do you think I moved to Vegas?" He looked at her with a little shock and she finished with a smile while the sincerity was still there. "But honestly, you can't be that surprised at this point, are you?"

He slowly shook his head and gave her another smile. "No, I guess not." He took a breath and finished. "I guess just hearing you actually say it out-loud surprised me."

Nodding in understanding, she replied. "Yeah, I can imagine."

He took another breath and shook his head before speaking softly, apologetically. "I'm so sorry Sara, knowing now how you really felt about me, then having me invite you here just to see me pushing you away like that, it must have been..."

Sara cuts him off while squeezing his hand lightly for comfort, seeing how sorry he really looked. "It's ok, we are past that. Yeah, it sucked and hurt, I can't lie about that, but I'm really at peace with it." Seeing the truth in her eyes, he nodded, feeling relieved, then she asked a second later. "But now that we are on that subject, why did you invite me here, then start pushing me away like that?"

Knowing if they really wanted to move forward, he had to tell her a big part on why things shifted the way that they did, so he nodded, and with their hands still together, he walked them towards the couch and they sat down, then after a breath he said. "Before I tell you that, I just want you to know that I always saw a lot of potential in you as a CSI, so asking you to stay here was part of that reason, I really did feel that the lab needed you."

She smiled shyly as she replied softly. "Thank you."

He nodded again before continuing. "And honestly, I missed you. I missed being around you." His face went a little red at that, but she just squeezed his hand in comfort again as he continued. "The emails just weren't cutting it anymore. I wanted to talk/share more on a daily basis."

Deep down they both knew it was more than that, but she'll take what he had said as a reasonable answer for now. However, there was still that lingering question that she needed answered, so she asked again. "But then you stopped sharing and pushed me away, what changed?"

He paused for a second before replying after clearing his throat. "Lots of reasons, but mainly, it was because I was uh, I was losing my hearing."

Sara looked at him with concern now as she gasped a little, things were starting to make sense of that time. "That's what was happening?" After he nodded, she continued softly. "How come you never told us, me?"

"I uh, I guess the honest answer was that I was scared, scared of losing my job, afraid on what the team might think of me." There was a slight pause before he said softly with fear in his eyes. "Most of all what you might think of me. For all I knew you could have seen me a lot older than I am." He sighed as he looked down. "I know I did."

Sara's heart was breaking for him, and she shook her head as she reached to cup his bearded cheek, which the contact surprised him a little, so he looked up in a little shock, and their eyes connected as she continued speaking with a soft and soothing tone. "I would have never seen you any differently than I see you now, and I would have been there for you without hesitation had I known, you were never alone." There was a slight pause before she finished while her heart was racing. "And you still aren't, no matter what, always remember that."

He nodded, seeing the truth in her eyes before he surprised her by giving her a hug. "Thank you, Sara."

She wasn't complaining one bit though as she ran her hand up and down his back. "You're welcome, Griss."

As they pulled back a few moments later, she asked after clearing her throat. "So, did something happen to cause your hearing loss?"

"Yes, it's a genetic disorder called Otosclerosis, it was passed down from my mom."

Another piece of the puzzle soon kicked in as she commented. "And that's one of the reasons why you know sign language."

He nodded again, this time with a smile, very impressed by her, not that it was the first time for that happening though.

"Yes."

She smiled in return. "After all this time, I feel I'm finally starting to put the puzzle pieces of Gilbert Grissom together."

He raised an eyebrow at that before asking with a small smirk. "Yeah, and how is it looking?"

She smirked back, but he could tell in her eyes she meant every word. "So far so good, but I have a feeling I have a lot left to put together."

Still having eye contact, he spoke without censoring his words, his heart racing. "You know that can take time, right?"

Not missing a beat, she replied with a smile. "Yeah, but I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end, so I'm not ready to give up."

His spirits were rising while hearing her say that, and he looked a little happier than he did when he came over, which when that thought came to his mind, he remembered why he was there in the first place, outside of their breakfast time, and he mentally shook his head before speaking again. "I should go and let you get some rest."

She didn't want him to leave, but also knew he had a point, so she nodded as they stood up, then as he walked to the kitchen counter to deal with the rest of his food, she spoke as she stopped just before reaching the same counter. "So with Nick, Warrick and myself working swing now, that means you'll have Greg, Carly, and..."

Grissom turns around and finishes for her. "Sofia Curtis, she was the day shift supervisor."

Sara thought for a minute, then nodded her head. "Right, I've seen her around a few times." Then not even meaning to, her tone changed as she looked down. "She's uh, she's lucky to work with you." And realizing how that sounded, she tried to fix her mistake. "And I mean Greg and Carly too."

But Grissom wasn't going to let it slide, so he smirked with a raised eyebrow. "Was that a little hint of jealousy I heard?"

She looked at him a little shocked. "What!? No, I uh, we are just friends, so I shouldn't be jealous. I have no reason to be jealous."

Once again both feeling their hearts race a little, Grissom walked up to her and stopped before becoming bold and cupping her cheek while speaking softly. "Sara, even if we both believed at this point that comment 'just friends' is true, you have nothing to be jealous about, I assure you, ok?" All Sara could do was nod, afraid of doing anything else so she didn't scare him away, and he nodded with a smile in return before slowly moving his hand from her cheek, then he took a step back and cleared his throat. "I hope this new schedule doesn't change our breakfast time together."

Sara finally smiled again, still feeling the heat on her cheek where his hand had been. "For me it doesn't."

The smile came back as he turned and grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger on the door before turning to look at her. "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow morning after shift."

"OK." He nodded one more time before he turned towards the door again and opened it, but before he stepped through it, she spoke again. "Grissom." After he turned around to look at her again, she continued. "I will miss working with you."

Sincerely, he replied. "I'll miss working with you too." Then he finished with confidence. "But I promise it won't be forever, somehow, someway, we'll get the team back." He took a breath and shrugged a little. "That is if everybody wants to be back together, who knows."

She nodded in understanding, then they whispered their goodnights/good mornings before he walked out of the apartment, both sighing in content as the door clicked shut.

Even though things were said and hinted that put their friendship in a different category, they weren't quite there yet, but by now it was only a matter of time before they finally made things official.

* * *

AN: They are getting closer, stay tuned for next chapter :). Thanks for reading and please review.


	5. Official?

AN: Thanks for the continued support, here is the next chapter. Warning: Slight mention of Violence.

* * *

Chapter 5: Official?

1 Month later

December, 2004

It was two weeks before Christmas and it was a one of those rare occasion that the whole swing shift team, Nick, Warrick and Sara, was eating with the whole night shift team, Grissom, Greg, Carly, and Sofia, and they had been talking about memories of their first Christmas or just one of their favorite Christmas memories, and as they were finishing breakfast, the team members were getting tired by the minute, so one by one the group slowly departed until there was only Sara and Grissom left at the table, and when she caught him looking at her, she asked with curiosity. "What's up?"

"It's just I didn't get hear your first memory of Christmas."

She gave him a little smile and shook her head. "What's the point? It was all basically the same thing, one had their first sight of snow, their first toy, their..."

He cuts her off. "Yeah, but they had their own uniqueness to it, so what was so unique about yours?"

She spoke softly as she looked down at her coffee mug that was almost empty. "It doesn't matter."

He leaned forward and placed his hand top of hers as he whispered. "It matters to me."

Talking about her childhood was a very sore subject for Sara, so she never did, always finding ways to avoid it and/or thanking whatever distraction came up that would change the subject, which was why Grissom had never known what went on during her younger years, and this was certainly not the time or place to be talking about this, so she shook her head again as she looked into those caring blue eyes, almost making her want to cry, but she held strong and replied. "Please, just drop it."

Now concern entered the picture.

"Sara..."

But she cuts him off as she slipped her hand out from under his. "If we are still getting your tree today, we better do it now."

Grissom wanted to get a tree, and had asked Sara if she would like to go, so since spending time with him one on one doesn't happen much these days, outside of their breakfast time, she agreed to go with him.

Knowing there wasn't much he could do to make her talk, especially here, he just nodded before they started to get up from their seats, then after placing money on the table, they headed towards the door, and as they walked outside, Grissom spoke. "I'll just follow you to your place so there will be only one vehicle then I can drive you home later, if you want?"

Sara nodded with a smile. "Yeah, that's ok."

He nodded in return before they go their own vehicles.

* * *

By the time they got to the lot where they were selling Christmas tress, Grissom taking his time on finding the perfect one, which Sara couldn't help but smile at his boyish look, especially when he finally found the one, going back to his place, setting it up and putting it in the best place in the living room, two hours had passed.

Now they were currently sitting on his couch drinking some water as they looked at the bare tree, and while Grissom was imagining it with decorations, Sara's thoughts, which were darker, took her to when she was a little girl and her dad would yell at her if she was placing the decorations too close together, then her mom would get hit trying to come between them, and before she knew it they were at the hospital...

Sara's thoughts get interrupted when she felt Grissom's hand on her arm, making her jump, and when they looked at each other, he asked softly. "Sara, are you ok?"

She nodded before clearing her throat. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

Still keeping his hand on hers, which she didn't seem to mind, he continued. "It's ok, you just seemed too deep in thought, you want to talk about it?"

She sighed and shook her head. "No."

With a little sadness in his tone, he nodded his head as he started to take his hand off hers. "Ok."

But she placed her hand on top of his to stop his movements before replying. "However, when you told me about your hearing, I imagine it was hard for you, and the whole point of us starting over was to get to really know one another, and in order for you to get to really know me, is to tell you."

He took a breath, feeling the tense air around her, and nodded while squeezing her hand lightly. "You can tell me anything, I'm right here."

She nodded before looking over at the tree, then spoke after a moments pause. "My first solid memory happened to be on Christmas, and you know where I was?" She looked over at him and replied with tears in her eyes, making Grissom's heart break. "The hospital. And after that day, I always thought that the fights, the yelling, and trips to the hospital was the way that everybody lived." She wiped a tear away, not able to stop it from coming out before finishing. "When my mother killed my father, I found out that it wasn't." She couldn't help what happened next, the floodgates opened and she started sobbing.

With thoughts of only comforting her, he tugged on her hand so she would come closer to him, and once she was, he moved his hand off of hers only to wrap his arms around her shoulders so she could be in his arms as she continued to talk about her childhood, not able to stop herself now, even if she wanted to.

After awhile, once she told him her childhood, she started to pull back while sniffling. "I'm sorry to throw all of that at you at once."

He shook his head and cupped her cheek without thinking and wiped a few tears off her cheek with his thumb while speaking with comfort. "Don't be, while I'm sadden that you had that type of childhood, I'm glad you told me." He then gave her a little smile as he finished. "Now I'm starting to feel like I'm putting the Sara Sidle puzzle together."

She gave him a small smile in return, remembering she had said the same thing a month ago. "Not the prettiest piece, is it?"

"No." He admitted. "But, it is a part of you, and what you went through gives you a better understanding and greater compassion for the victims of the same crime, which that's one of the reasons why it makes you a great CSI, and I just couldn't be more amazed by you."

Sara shyly smiled before lowing her head. "Grissom, I'm nothing spec..."

He lifted her chin up with his free hand instantly while cutting her off softly with a look of passion in his eyes that made her heart jump, in a very good way, a few extra beats. "You are to me, don't ever forget or doubt that."

All Sara could do was nod as she swallowed while they stared deeply into each other's eyes, then after a moment, he started to move forward, but before he could come too close, she got out of her dazed state and places her hand on his chest before whispering. "Wait, Griss."

He stopped his movements with a hurt look in his eyes that he tried to hide as he pulled back. "Right, I'm sor..."

She cuts him off this time as she placed a finger to his lips. "I'm not rejecting you, I promise. Just the timing of it, I don't want our first kiss like this."

He really looked into her eyes and could see the truth in her words, so he started to ease his tension a little, while he nodded with a smile before taking her hand that had the finger to his lips. "Ok, I understand."

She smiled with her eyes a little brighter than they had been all day. "Good, because believe me, that was one of the hardest things I ever had to do." He shyly smiled while she moved her hand out of his and cupped his bearded cheek while continuing. "It's just when I envisioned our first kiss, it wasn't this type of setting."

He raised an eyebrow a second later before asking in a somewhat shocked tone. "You've envisioned our first kiss?"

This time she shyly smiled. "Of course, and don't lie and tell me you haven't."

With a twinkle in his eyes, he softly whispered. "Maybe." Making her chucked a little, which the sound went right to his heart as he removed her hand off his cheek and slipped his fingers through hers while asking with a smile back on his face. "Well, Ms. Sidle, so what does our first kiss entail?"

As she looked at their clasped hands, she spoke again with a casual yet heartfelt tone. "Nothing big has to be going on around us, just a simple, quiet moment."

He smirked as he lightly ran his thumb along her knuckles. "So, no big grand gesture that involves balloons, candles, flowers, or fireworks up in the sky." She chuckled again while shaking her head.

When she calmed down, she spoke in a serious tone as their eyes met. "No, just you and me will do." His eyes continued to sparkle as she asked. "So, how did you think of it, anything special going on in your mind?"

He didn't even hesitate when he replied with the truth. "Nope, because kissing you will be special enough."

Sara looked down shyly while shaking her head once again, with a groan this time. "Grissom."

He innocently asked with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

She looked at him again before moving her other hand so she could cup his cheek again, something she'll love to get use to. "You're killing me with this whole new side of yours."

"What, you don't like it?"

She smiled brightly. "I like it a lot, just something I'm going to have to get use to."

He smiled in return. "Good, because I don't want to stop."

Still having eye contact, she whispered. "And I don't want you to stop."

After smiling at one another for a few more seconds in silence, she then asked, somewhat confused. "Ok, wait, just so we are clear here, are we, did we just become..."

Grissom cuts her off with another raised eyebrow. "Boyfriend and Girlfriend?" Sara chuckled with a nod, making him chuckle for a few seconds before he spoke again after sigh. "It's been a long time since I've been referred to somebody's boyfriend."

Sara did a sigh of her own with a nod. "Yeah, me too...well, you know what I mean."

After he nodded in understanding, he continued. "You can refer me to anything that you want, just know that I want you to be my only one."

Understanding he wants them to be exclusive, which she had no problem with that whatsoever, she nodded with another smile. "And you'll be my only one,." He started to smile again as she finished with a smirk. "Boyfriend."

He chuckled a little before squeezing her hand. "That's good to know, Girlfriend."

With a smile still on her face, she removed her hand from his cheek to get in a better position so she could lay her head against his shoulder with their other hands still clasped together.

Eventually they'll talk about how they were going to go about this new dynamic in their relationship, but right now they just wanted to enjoy the moment, a moment that, at one point, neither one thought would ever happen.

* * *

AN: Hope you liked it, more to come. Thanks for reading and please review.


	6. Five Months later

AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 6: Five Months later

 _Flashback_

 _A week after getting Grissom's tree, and that certain significant moment between them, had passed, they were back at his condo for one of their breakfast times, which had been the first time she's been here, or even them having any alone time since that day, because work on Swing and Night shift had slammed them hard, so things felt a little awkward through their meal, both not sure how to act._

 _After their meal was done and the dishes in the dishwasher, he asked after clearing his throat. "Do you have to leave now?"_

 _She gave him a little smile as she asked. "Do you want me to leave?" He shook his head, so she continued. "Then no, I don't have to leave, so what do you have in mind?"_

 _He suddenly became a little nervous. "How about uh, uh movie? I mean I don't have the latest early releases, but..."_

 _Sara cuts him off softly. "Whatever you have is fine, and only if you're really up to it. I don't want you to be too tired for shift."_

 _He smiled at her concern before replying. "I'll be fine."_

 _"Ok, a movie it is then."_

 _He nodded, and as she headed for the couch, he went to his bookshelf, where the last two rows were filled with movies/documentaries, he was always more of a book guy so he never really thought of updating his movie collection, but when he saw how old a lot of them were, he sighed and shook his head, then stood up and looked over at her with a shy smile. "How about we just find something on TV?"_

 _She gave him a warm smile with a nod while she sat on the left side of the couch. "Ok." He nodded in return before walking towards the right side of the couch and sat down, grabbing his remote in the process so he could turn on the TV, thankful he did have most of the movie channels, even though he hardly watched these either._

 _As they were sitting there watching a comedy movie, which they still felt awkward, both now feeling they were teenagers on their first date, he kept sneaking glances at her hand, and occasionally she could see him doing that, so after about 15 minutes, she moved her hand to the middle cushion so her palm was up, and he saw her action from the corner of his eye before they looked at one another and she smiled, he smiled in return before he finally placed his hand on top of hers so their palms were touching before they slipped their fingers through one another's, both secretly sighing in content._

 _By the time the movie had ended, she was now sitting next to him with her head on his shoulder as their hands remained clasped together, and as the credits were rolling, she lifted her head and spoke softly. "I should go and let you get some rest."_

 _He didn't want to her leave, but knew she was right, so he nodded and cleared his throat. "I'll walk you to the door."_

 _She nodded as they stood up, their hands still clasped together, before he walked her to the door, and once they got there, they finally release hands so she could get her coat and bag, and he asked a little shyly. "Did you enjoy the movie and breakfast?"_

 _She smiled as she turned to look at him. "Very much, thank you."_

 _He nodded with a smile in return before it got a little shy again. "So, uh you wouldn't be opposed to do it again, as you know more like uh, like a..."_

 _Sara cuts him off, saving him before he gave himself a heart attack. "A date?"_

 _He took a breath with another nod. "Yeah, like a date."_

 _She then smirked. "Are you asking your girlfriend out on a date?"_

 _He chuckled before replying with a smirk of his own. "As her boyfriend, I think he should every once in awhile."_

 _With her eyes sparkling, she replied. "Good answer, and I wouldn't be opposed to doing this again."_

 _"Ok, good to know."_

 _They stood there for several seconds just looking at one another with smiles on their faces before she cleared her throat and turned towards the door. "Have a 'goodnight', Griss."_

 _Before she placed her hand on the doorknob, Grissom spoke softly. "Sara, wait."_

 _When she turned around he was standing real close to her now, then he took a breath and slowly raised his hand to cup her cheek, and when she didn't shy away from his hand, it touched her skin, almost making her want to close her eyes, but she was too mesmerized by his blue eyes as he leaned forward, then just as their lips touched, her eyes closed automatically, and as if they have been doing it for years, their lips moved together softly in sync._

 _When he pulled back after several seconds had passed, she slowly opened her eyes and once again his shy look came to his face as he asked. "How was that?"_

 _She had a feeling he wasn't only talking about the kiss itself, but the timing was included in that small question, so her response was the same for both. "Perfect."_

 _His shy look went away and his sparkling blue eyes came alive as he replied with a little more confidence. "I'm glad you feel that way, because now that I know what it feels like to kiss you, I don't think there will be a moment in time when I won't want to kiss you."_

 _She placed her hand on top of his that was still cupping her cheek as she whispered in return. "And the feeling is definitely mutual."_

 _It only took a second before their lips were against one another again, this time with a little more passion, but still very tender._

 _When they pulled back again, they placed their foreheads together before she whispered without even thinking. "I don't think I want to leave right now." He smirked as she pulled back in shock that she said that out-loud. "I mean..."_

 _But he cuts her off with a smile as he held his hand out. "Then don't, stay."_

 _She shyly smiled. "Griss..."_

 _He cuts her off again with honesty and sincerity. "I don't mean it like that. We can lie in each other's arms or you can be completely on the other side of the bed, it's up to you how close you want us."_

 _Seeing the truth in his eyes, she nodded with a smile as she hung up her jacket and messenger bag. "Ok, I'll stay."_

 _After slipping her hand back into his, he led them towards his bedroom, and even though they knew they weren't going to be doing anything, other than maybe a few kisses here and there, their hearts still raced a little._

 _But once they laid down and her head landed on his chest while his arms wrapped around her shoulders, everything felt right, like this is what should have been happening all along, and they now knew after that moment they had no reason to feel shy or awkward around one another, just be themselves and they knew they would be ok._

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

Five months later

May, 2005

As Grissom was lighting the second candle on the table, his phone starts to ring from his pocket, making him sigh a little, hoping it wasn't work.

"Grissom."

"Hey, I'm just letting you know that I am almost out of the lab."

Grissom smiled, hearing her beautiful voice before replying. "Ok, dinner should be done or close to it by the time you get here."

With Grissom not working tonight, which was very rare before his relationship with Sara since he rarely took time off, they get to enjoy a rare diner meal together, rather than the usual breakfast meal.

"Alright, I'll see you when I see you."

"Ok, be safe."

"I will, bye."

"Bye."

Grissom hangs up his phone with a sigh of content before he looked at the table that was set up with the candles, plates, silverware, and the wine glasses, then he smiled before turning around so he could walk in the kitchen to check on the vegetarian lasagna.

* * *

Standing so her backside was against the counter in the break room, Sara sighed in content as she pulled the phone from ear and hung up, but as she was still looking down at it, Warrick's voice came into the room with a smirk. "So, you thinking about calling your secret boyfriend?"

Sara looked up in surprise. "What!?"

Warrick chuckled as he stopped in front of her. "I know something's been going on with you for awhile now, I don't think I've seen you as happy as you have been the last few months."

Sara couldn't help but smirk in return. "So what, it has to be a man that's making me happy?'

He held up his hands, which he had a coffee mug in his right one, in surrender before smiling back as he walked towards the sink to clean it out. "Point taken." Sara chuckled, and after he finished with his task and placed it back in the cupboard, he looked over at her and continued in a sincere tone. "All I'm trying to say is, that whatever is making you happy these days, don't let it go."

Sara pursed her lips while nodding. "That's the plan."

He smiled again while she walked towards the table to get her report, and as they were walking down the hall towards Nick's office, Sara asked with a raised eyebrow. "And you seem to be sprouting a smile these last few weeks yourself, so do you have a secret girlfriend you're not sharing?" There was a short pause before she chuckled. "You are, who is she?"

Warrick took a breath before replying. "She's wonderful, beautiful, smart, and works at the hospital."

They got close to Nick's office door before they stopped their feet and he stopped talking, and she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why am I sensing a 'but' here?"

Mentally he thought. _'But she's not Catherine.'_

While he did like the woman he started seeing, he couldn't deny that a small part of him was still holding on to his feelings for the beautiful Catherine Willows.

Before he could speak or mentally shake his head from those thoughts, him and Sara both hear Nick's voice from his office. "Hey, you two heading out?"

They moved closer to the opened door and Sara nodded. "Yeah, what's up?"

He sighed as he lifted an assignment sheet up. "A new case just came in. I could give it to graveyard, but I think I'll give Grissom a break."

They chuckled before Warrick asked. "You sure, man? I don't mind doing it."

Nick waved him off with a smile. "Nah, get out of here, go enjoy the rest of your night. I'll see you tomorrow."

Warrick nodded while saying goodnight to Nick and Sara before walking away while Sara walked into the office and handed him her report with a smile. "Here you go, boss."

Nick smiled in return and took the folder before placing it on his desk. "You too go enjoy the rest of your night."

She really wanted to, and didn't want to cancel on Grissom, but she was always known to volunteer, so to keep up appearances, she asked. "You sure?"

"Yeah." Then he smirked. "I would hate for you to cancel on your secret boyfriend."

Sara chuckled and shook her head. "Not you too, you and Warrick, I swear."

He chuckled in return as he stood up from his office chair. "Face it Sidle, when you're showing your happiness to the world, people are bound to notice."

She just chuckled again before speaking as she turned around. "Goodnight, Nick."

As she started to walk towards the door, Nick spoke with sincerity. "Whoever he is, better realize how lucky he is."

Sara turned around to look at her friend/boss with caring eyes. "Thank you, Nicky. I think that's the nicest thing you ever said to me."

He chuckled while shaking his head. "I'm sure it's not, but if it is, I mean it, and if I never said it before, you're like a sister to me, and I'll protect you if you ever need it, so make sure he knows that too."

There may have been some flirty moments between them when she first got here, but they both knew very quickly that friendship was all they were going to have between them, and they were just fine with that.

Feeling a little emotional from what Nick said about him seeing her as a sister, she nodded with a smile. "I'll keep that in mind, you know the whole brother protection part if I need it."

"Any time."

After saying goodnight again, Sara finally left Nick's office and headed for the locker room to get her things before walking out of the lab so she could go enjoy dinner with her boyfriend, which made her heart skip a few extra beats just thinking of Grissom as her boyfriend, even after five months with him, that feeling hasn't gone away. In fact, it has only gotten stronger.

* * *

20 minutes later

Grissom was finishing up the salad when there was a knock on his door, so he placed his knife down on the cutting board and headed for it, and after opening it, he smiles at Sara as he moved to the side to let her in, then once she was, she hung up her jacket and messenger bag while he closed the door before he was a little surprised when she just wrapped her arms around him for a hug without saying anything.

Even after five months with Sara, he was still getting use to hugging, kissing, and even hand holding without warning, but he would never turn any of it down coming from her, and this was no exception, so he wrapped his arms around her in return while asking in concern. "You ok?"

She nodded against his shoulder while mumbling. "Yeah, I just felt like a hug."

He smiled against her temple before replying. "Then hug away."

She smiled in return. "Thank you."

"No problem, and anytime."

After a few seconds of silence, she sighed in content before speaking again with a smile. "I guess I should let you know that Nick thinks of me as a sister and that he'll protect me from you if he has to." She then smirked. "Well, from my secret boyfriend that is, since he doesn't know it's actually you." He pulled back with a raised eyebrow and she continued with her eyes glowing. "I guess my happiness has been showing off a little bit more than usual, and Warrick and Nick has informed me that they've noticed, both guessing that I have a secret boyfriend."

Grissom couldn't help but smile at that, happy it was because of them that was making her so happy, then he took a breath as he cupped her cheek and said softly. "Sara..."

But she cuts him off, knowing what he was going to say. "No."

He raised his eyebrow again. "But I..."

She cuts him off again. "I know what you were going to say, and I'm not ready yet." She sighed as she took his hand off her cheek before slipping her fingers into his as they walked towards the couch, continuing as they sat down. "I mean this probably is really now the best time to tell everybody, but if we ever do get the team back together, I uh, I don't want to be left..."

He cuts her off as he uses his free hand to cup her cheek. "Left behind."

"Yeah, I'm so..."

He cuts her off again with a small smile. "No, I get it. They are your team, like your family."

She nodded with teas in her eyes. "Just know I don't want to keep us hidden forever."

He wiped the few tears off her cheek as he nodded. "I know that, I don't either, and we won't. But I promise when that time comes, and if there are major consequences, nothing will happen to you, you will still have your job."

Looking at him with concern. "What about you?"

He took a breath before continuing. "If worse comes to worse, I still have a backup plan."

She shook her head and closed her eyes as she lowered her head. "I never wanted to make you have to choose between me or your career."

He lifted her head back up, and waited for eyes to open before he spoke again. "I know that, but if it really comes down to that, I pick you." To hear Grissom say that made Sara feel warm and loved all over, and admittedly slightly overwhelmed. In fact, so much she couldn't even open her mouth to reply to that, but Grissom was kind of happy because he wanted to continue without her interrupting as his heart started to race. "Because while Nick wants to protect you as if you were his sister, I want to protect you as..."

Fortunately for him she still couldn't utter a word to interrupt him, but the oven timer had other plans and it started to go off, so he took a breath and said. "That's our dinner, I should get that."

Sara just nodded as he stood up, but before he could take a step towards the kitchen, his cell phone rang from the kitchen counter, so he sighed and shook his head. "Why do I have a feeling dinner is about to be interrupted?"

Sara's dazed state was snapped and she looked at him with sympathy as she stood up. "You get your phone, and I'll get dinner out of the oven." He nodded and followed her towards the kitchen before picking up his phone while she opened the oven door.

"Grissom." A second later he gasped. "Ok, yeah, I'll be right there, bye."

After he hung up, and before Sara could ask what was wrong, he spoke with an urgency as he walked to the kitchen table to blow out the candles. "Cover dinner and put the salad in the fridge, please, we have to go now."

As she was doing that, she asked. "What's wrong?"

They have eye contact when he told her, worry on his face and in his eyes. "Nick's been kidnaped."

She gasped too as she placed her hand up to her mouth. "Oh my god."

Not much time was wasted after that, both heading for the front door, wanting to get their friend/colleague back.

* * *

AN: More to come with a special guest visit. Thanks for reading and please review.


	7. Finding Him?

AN: Thanks for he reviews and support, here is the next chapter.

**Grave Yard episode (Seasons 5 Finale) was heavily used for this chapter, except for the obvious differences.**

* * *

Chapter 7: Finding Him?

Multiple Hours later

Since getting that phone call about Nick's abduction the team had been working non-stop while deep down wondering if he was even still alive, then at one point during their investigation they received a package that had a USB flash drive in it, and after it was plugged in by Grissom, he clicked on a link to a website that showed a message, telling them they had to have 1 million dollars in 12 hours or the CSI dies, and that the drop-off instructions would come later. The message also told them that they could only 'watch', so after clicking the link on the page, it opened a webcam, and with a light shinning on him, they could see for themselves that Nick was alive, but they watched in horror when they realized that he was trapped in a Plexiglas box, underground.

Now as time was slipping away and they needed the money, Carly Hughes, who was about three years older than Sara, Nick & Warrick with long brown hair, hazel eyes, 5'6, an average build and grew up being surrounded by wealth, did something she vowed to never do once she left home for college, wanting to make it on her own. But since this was an emergency, she called her parents for help as she walked out of the CSI building.

About an hour and fifteen minutes later, she walked back into the lab, carrying a duffel bag, and she was halfway down the hall when Grissom looked at her with an icy glare as he spoke softly, but with authority. "Ms. Hughes, in my office now." She took a breath before following him, and the moment she stepped into his office, Grissom closed his door, took his glasses off and spoke with a hard tone. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't fire you right here and now, you have been gone for over an hour and no one could reach you..."

Before he could continue, she handed him the bag. "How about 1 million reasons."

He took the bag from her and looked down at it, seeing the money before looking at his colleague in shock. "How did you..."

She cuts him off, shaking her head. "How I got it isn't important." When he was looking at her with caution/worry on how she actually got the money, she continued with a smile. "It's all legal, I assure you." She then sighed before finishing. "Look, I may have not worked with you guys for years, but I could tell right away that this group really cares about one another, viewing each member as more of a family than co-workers, and that means something, so before you reject the offer, remember this is for Nick, and if you have to, just say it was from an anonymous donor."

With that she headed for the door, but before she got there, Grissom cleared his throat and said. "Ms. Hughes." After she turned around, he continued softly and sincerely. "Thank you."

She gives him a small smiled with a nod. "You're welcome, Dr. Grissom." Before she finally walked out of his office.

Grissom looked down at the bag again and sighed, knowing this was their only option, he had no choice on using it, so he walked out of the room to have a little chat with his team.

* * *

When the address to the drop-off location popped up, it was decided that Grissom was going to be the one that would go, so after receiving encouraging looks from his team, Grissom walked out of the AV lab and headed for his office to get the money, and while the rest of the group was distracted, Sara slipped out of the room and followed him.

He had stopped in front of his desk when he heard the door close and Sara's soft, but urgent voice. "Why you?"

He took ahold of the handle from the bag before turning around to look at her, which she was now standing in the middle of the room. "I feel I have to. I may have not been his boss for months now, but I still feel responsible for him. I'm sure you of all people can understand that."

Logically she did, since they've became a couple, she's seen more sides of him than he's ever shown before, and now she knew without a doubt that he had the biggest heart than anybody she's ever known, he cared deeper than anybody she's ever known, so with it being somebody that he cared for in a life or death situation, of course he would feel that way, honestly she did too. But deep down she knew things like these are dangerous, and the thought of Grissom being in any type of a dangerous situation, rocked her to her core. She couldn't imagine what would happen to her if she lost him.

She mentally shook that thought away and nodded. "Of course I understand." She took a breath before trying to continue. "I just..."

He cuts her off as he stopped in front of her. "I'll be ok, trust me." He then gives her a little smirk. "Besides, I still have a dinner date to go to, you think I would miss that and have my girlfriend be mad a me?" She couldn't help but chuckle a little, and when she calmed down, they just stood there face to face, letting their eyes speak for a moment, an act that wasn't new to them, then he cleared his throat and said. "I better go."

She nodded, wishing she could just hold on to him and never let him go, but knew she couldn't, so she stepped to the side to let him pass, and as he did and got to the door, Sara turned around and said. "Gil."

Grissom turned around slowly to look at her after her usage of his shorten first name.

Normally it was Grissom or Griss, the latter being his favorite from her, in her playful/teasing mood it was Gilbert, Dr. Grissom, or even sometimes she would throw bugman out there, but he was beginning to notice that when she uses Gil, she really wants his attention, it was her very serious or scared mood.

There was a pause, and those very important words were on the tip of her tongue, begging to come out, but a second later she decided she wasn't going to do it because in situations like these, especially in movies, you say those words when you feel like you'll never see them again, and this was not going to be the case, she refused to believe that it was the case, so she hoped he could see how much she really felt for him by the look in her eyes as she said something else. "Good luck and be careful." Then in her mind she continued. _'Please come back to me.'_

He smiled a little, showing her with his eyes he felt the exact same way, and replied softly, as if he was also reading her mind, which really wouldn't have surprised her one bit if he had. "Always."

After one more look, he finally turned and walked out of the door, leaving her behind as she watched him go, hoping he'll be alright and that this will end the case with them being reunited with Nick so they all could try to move past this nightmare.

* * *

25 minutes later Warrick gets a call that informed them that the location that Grissom was going to had an explosion, so with worry, the team started to rush out of the lab, which as they did, they see Catherine, who had dropped Lindsey off at her mom's after arriving here, walking on the sidewalk with worry, more worried than she was when she had received the call from Warrick earlier this morning.

"What's going on?"

Greg spoke with Sara and Carly right behind him. "No time to explain."

She watched the three of them run past her before her eyes turned to Warrick, who had stopped in front of her, both of their hearts racing from seeing one another again, then she mentally shook that off, knowing this was not the time, and asked. "What happened?"

"I'll explain later."

As he walked past her, trying to get his mind to focus more on the task at hand rather than the woman that was here after being gone for so long.

Catherine spoke again, breaking him from his thoughts. "Please Warrick, I can't just sit here and do nothing, I want to help with anything that I can."

He turned around before giving her a nod. "Ok, come on."

She nodded in return before following him to his vehicle, and once they were in there and he started driving, he gave her the details on what was going on, making her gasp while trying to hold her tears back.

She took a breath a few seconds later before replying softly. "Thank you for calling me."

He stopped his vehicle at a yellow light before looking over at her with a small smile. "I just got to you before Grissom did."

Even though that was true, another part of it was that he needed to hear her voice to know that she was ok.

She looked over at him with a small smile in return, showing each other with their eyes how happy they are to see one another, despite the situation, and how much they really missed one another.

Their moment was interrupted when the sound of a car horn honked behind them, so he cleared his throat before turning his attention back to the road so he could drive while he asked about Lindsey and how they were doing in Miami.

* * *

After collecting the evidence from the drop-off location, which was a barn, they headed back to the lab, but before Sara started processing the evidence she had collected, she saw Grissom heading to his office.

When they had made it to the location, she was itching to go to him and hold him, but knew she couldn't, especially with everybody around, so just knowing that he was still alive and breathing was good enough then.

However not now, the drive to go to him this time was too much to deny, so she gets up from her seat, walks out of the room, down the hall to his office, then takes a step inside to see him standing in front of his desk again with his back towards her, and whispered enough so he could hear her. "Gil."

Hearing her say his shorten first name, he turned around and spoke with a small smile. "This must be serious, twice in one day."

She gave him a hard look as she tried to keep her voice from shaking. "Damn right, you just survived an explosion."

He nodded before indicating with his hand to come in, and she did without hesitation, closing the door behind her before walking right to him and in his arms, both thankful the blinds were already closed so they didn't have to deal with them.

Normally they would not let themselves be this close in the lab, when the were in the lab at the same time that is, it was their silent agreement, but after what he went through, they didn't care at the moment.

They held one another tightly with their eyes closed while she tried to stop the sobs from coming, which proved to be unsuccessful as he ran his hand up and down her back, not only for her comfort, but for his too.

While he was in that barn, and as he was stepping back from the suspect before he blew himself up, he honestly didn't think he was going to make it out of there alive, so to be holding her again was a huge relief.

After a moment or two, once Sara had calmed her sobbing down, the words that she wouldn't let come out before, came out now.

"I'm in love with you."

No, it wasn't the moment she had envisioned, but she couldn't hold back anymore, she wanted him to know just how deep her feelings for him actually went, even though it was implied through various actions and/or looks multiple times, even before they were officially dating. Which was why Grissom wasn't surprised to hear her say those words, so he didn't gasp or ask her to repeat it because deep down he already knew how she felt about him.

But of course, knowing all of that didn't stop his heart from skipping a few extra beats because to actually hear the words was a beautiful feeling, so he just smiled and whispered. "You just had to say it first, didn't you?"

She couldn't help but chuckle as she squeezed him tighter before whispering in return. "You had your chance, bugman."

He sighed with a nod before finishing what he was going to say earlier before all of this happened, before their dinner plans was scrapped. "I want to protect you as someone who is in love with you."

She also didn't gasp from the revelation, but her breath did hitch a little because she now knew that he would have said it first if their evening wouldn't have been interrupted.

But with that last thought, she started to pull back. "I'm sorry to do this, but I should..."

He cuts her off as he released her. "Yeah, go. Finding Nick should be our priority right now." She nodded before turning around, and as she walked towards the door, Grissom continued as he watched her. "Even though our actions, words and looks have proven how much we do in fact love one another, I'm glad I got to hear the words."

She turned around with a nod and smile. "Me too." She then continued with a slight smirk. "Just maybe next time I would like to say and hear them without the aftermath of one of us almost getting blown up."

He gave her a slight nod and smile. "I agree, Ms. Sidle."

After one more long between them, Sara took a breath to get her focus back before turning around, opening the office door and walking out towards the left, and Carly, who had just walked past Grissom's office no more than two minutes ago and saw his door closed, smiled when she saw Sara had walked out of the office, then smiled a little bigger when she noticed Grissom had been in his office too.

Now there could have been multiple reasons why the door was closed, and she never wanted to make assumptions without having all the evidence, but couple that with the rumors she's heard about them, which normally she wouldn't even pay attention to, and her witnessing on how close they had seemed before the team-split up, it was kind of hard not to believe that something was going on between them. The only thing she had to say about that if it really was true, was good for them. She thought they deserved a little happiness, especially in the line of work that they do.

Before her thoughts could continue, she hears Warrick's curse and him yelling from the AV lab, so she practically jogged in that direction and asked with worry as she walked into the room. "Warrick, what's wrong?"

He took a breath and held out his hand towards the computer screen. "He shot out the light, now we can't see him."

She looked at the screen with worry in her eyes, seeing the webcam feed was pitch black, but a few seconds later they see light from a glow stick and Nick's face again, making them smile in relief while Warrick spoke softly. "Least he's still alive."

Carly nodded before clearing her throat and looking at him. "Why don't you get some air." He was going to protest, but she continued. "I can watch just as easily as you can, so go, I'll let you know if something changes."

Warrick paused before giving her a nod as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

Carly just nodded before Warrick walked out of the room and headed for the locker room, and once he got there, he stopped in front of his locker before sitting down on the metal backless bench while placing his hand up to his face.

A few seconds later, he hears Catherine's concerned voice. "Warrick, you ok?"

He lowered his hand and turned his head towards the door and cleared his throat. "Yeah." Then a second later he took a breath and shook his head. "No." With a look of concern on her face, knowing he wouldn't admit that to just anybody, Catherine walked into the room and sat down next to him as he continued. "I can't stop thinking that could have been me, I offered to take the case, but he took it himself, he wanted..."

"You to enjoy your night. " Catherine cuts him off with a small smile. "You realize you can go back to that moment a 100 times and it still wouldn't have changed the outcome, right? That's Nick for you, always looking out for the people he cares for."

"Yeah." He nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right." Then he sighed and shook his head. "I also can't help but think that if I had ended up in that box, I wouldn't have been as strong as he has been, I would have..."

Catherine cuts him off sharply as she placed her hands on his. "No, I don't by that, I know you." Warrick was about to speak, but she continued while trying to keep her tears from coming out, refusing to believe that she would lose him like that, as she cupped his cheek with the other one, both feeling the sparks instantly. "You are strong, and you would have waited for your team to get you out, like you and them are going to do for Nicky, you hear me?"

Feeling all of these emotions inside of him from Catherine being here again and touching him and how he was feeling about Nick's ordeal, he did the only thing he could do, which was nod, and she smiled as her heart continued to race as she realized she was actually touching him, then she cleared her throat as she slowly removed her hand from his cheek, both missing the contact immediately. "Why don't we get something to eat." He was going to protest but she continued before he could. "You aren't going to do anybody any good if you faint from lack of food, when was the last time you ate something?"

He honestly couldn't remember, so he shook his head. "Uh, I don't..."

She cuts him off as she stood up, removing her hand from his arm slowly. "See, if you have to think about it it's been too long. I'll tell you what, it will be my treat."

Before her hand was completely off of him, he took it in his as he looked up at her and whispered. "Despite the reasoning, I'm glad you are here."

She gave him a small smile as she replied. "I am too." He removed his hand with a nod, and as he stood up, she spoke again after clearing her throat. "I got admit that what I've seen what your new partner can do, she doesn't seem half bad."

He shook his head with a smile. "She's great, she fit in pretty quickly." Then he spoke softy again. "But she isn't Catherine Willows."

She stopped her feet and turned to look at him, and after a heated (the good kind), moment, she spoke with a smirk. "I should hope not, I don't think the world could take two of me."

He couldn't help but smirk back. "Probably not." When she mocked glared and swatted him on the shoulder, he continued with his green eyes sparkling. "But, the one we do got is pretty much amazing as is, so we don't need another one."

Catherine's heart fluttered at his words before replying with a smile. "Ok, you saved yourself there Brown."

He raised an eyebrow as he looked her up and down before smirking again. "Oh yeah, what would you have done?"

They were now standing extremely close, both hearts racing again, and after a look into his eyes, she whispered with a smile. "I guess, you'll never know." Before she turned around and started to walk to and out the door, and he took a breath with a small smile and a shake of the head before following her out of the room.

Not only did he miss her presence, but also the moments they shared through the years.

* * *

Once again more hours passed, their spirits on actually finding Nick's location was running really low, until there was a break in the case when Grissom had gotten a close up screenshot of an ant that had came through the cracks of Nick's box after he had shot out the light, and after looking it up in one of his books, he determined the species and where they would more likely be found, so the search area was narrowed down from where they found the webcam trace,  
and Sara pointed out the exact location after remembering a detail that was mentioned by the suspect's daughter, so they rushed out of the lab with a new found determination.

When they did find him by using an electronic scanner that locked on to the webcam transmitter, they were anxious on getting him out while he was anxious himself on getting out, but before they could, it was revealed that there was explosives under the box, so after looking around the area, Grissom saw a pile of dirt and a tractor next to it and he devised a plan on getting him out, but first he had to calm Nick down and tell him that he can't try and get up once they open the box or he'll blow them up.

After Nick was finally calm enough to actually listen to Grissom, Warrick and Grissom finally opened the box before Grissom placed his hand on his chest while Nick reached for Grissom's arm and held on tight, not wanting to let go as he held Warrick's hand with his other hand.

When it was time to transport him to the hospital once they got him out of the hole, by yanking him out with a rope while the pile of dirt was covering him, Warrick wasted little time on getting in the back of the ambulance, and after a look at Grissom, which he just gives her head nod, Sara also climbed in the back of the ambulance.

As the reaming team, including Catherine, watched the ambulance drive away, Grissom took a breath and spoke with determination to Ecklie, who was standing next to him. "I want my guys back."

* * *

AN: Hope it was ok, more to come. Thanks for reading and Please Review.


	8. The Aftermath

AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter. Warning: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior.

* * *

Chapter 8: The Aftermath

At the hospital

As the group was sitting in the waiting area to hear about Nick, Catherine looked to her right and saw Warrick talking to an African-American woman at the nurses station, who was wearing hospital scrubs, so she turned  
her head to look at Sara, who was looking at a magazine, but it looked like she wasn't that into it, so she asked. "Hey Sara, do you know who Warrick is talking to?"

Sara moved forward in her seat and looked in the same direction Catherine did before shaking her head. "No, but he did mention he was seeing someone who works here, so that could be her."

Hearing that hit her in the gut as she asked. "He has a girlfriend?"

Sara nodded while she placed her back against the cushion of the chair again. "Yeah."

She was going to go on and tell her she sensed something though when he told her that, but didn't get a chance because Warrick's voice was heard a second later. "Hey guys, what are you talking about?"

Sara looked up at him smirked. "I was just telling Catherine about your new girlfriend. That was her, wasn't it?"

Warrick mentally gasped after hearing Sara say that. He did not want Catherine to know like this, and he was trying to find something to say when Catherine, who had sealed her emotions inside, looked at him with a smile. "She's really beautiful, Warrick."

Once again the words were stuck in his throat, but it didn't seem to matter because Grissom's voice was heard next, who had been talking to the doctor and Nick's parents.

"Everybody, can I have your attention?"

When all eyes were on him, Grissom slowly smiled as he was happy to report. "Nick's going to be just fine." They all sighed in relief with a few claps before he continued. "However, we all saw what he went through, and you know how hard it is to get over a trauma like that, or any type of trauma for that matter, so..."

Greg spoke first. "We will be there to help him out anyway that we can."

As everybody else voiced that, Grissom nodded with a smile. "I'm glad to hear that." He cleared his throat and looked at his watch before finishing. "The doctor is allowing us about 15 extra minutes of visiting time, so if you want to go see him tonight, do it now."

After telling them what room he was in, Greg and Carly were the first ones to head in that direction, then Warrick smiled at him and held out his hand, which he took it and they shook hands before the younger man patted him on the shoulder and followed the other two.

Catherine and Sara got up from their seats, and while Catherine gives him a hug, Grissom spoke softly. "I'm glad you can be here."

"Me too."

They pulled back a second later before she pats him on the shoulder and walked past him in the same direction the other CSI's went.

Sara moved a little closer and asked. "You coming?"

He shook his head with a smile. "No, you go ahead. I'll let you guys visit with him."

She nodded before continuing softly. "You did good."

"So did you." He replied softly. "We all did, it was a team effort."

"Yeah it was."

After one more long look, she finally walked past him while he walked towards the chair and sat down with a heavy sigh before he ran his hand down his face, thankful this episode ended as good as could be expected with what they had to work with.

Now he was ready for a new chapter with his team in one piece again, if his meeting with Ecklie tomorrow goes well, and continue sharing his life with the woman he loved more than anything, a woman he was ready to risk anything for with no regrets or second thoughts.

* * *

When they made it back to his condo, after dropping Catherine off at the lab so she could get her rented vehicle, and stepped inside, which Sara went in first, he closed the door right before she turned around and their lips connected like a magnet, both wanting to pour everything that they couldn't while they were in the lab or at the hospital.

Once they finally pulled back, breathing heavily, they wrapped their arms around one another with their foreheads touching as they closed their eyes, not ready to lose that connection yet.

After a bit, he softly asked. "How about we take showers, eat a little bit and fall asleep in each other's arms?"

She nodded, replying softly. "Yeah, I would really like that."

They finally pulled back before he walked them towards his bedroom, and after taking their separate showers, they ate a little of what Grissom had made for dinner before crawling in bed so he could hold her from behind, and after kissing her head lightly, he whispered. "Sleep tight, honey."

She whispered back. "Sleep tight, Griss."

Moments later they were asleep, completely exhausted in everyway imaginable.

However, no more than four hours had passed when Sara opened her eyes and felt that Grissom wasn't holding her anymore, so she turned her head and saw him with his elbow on the mattress and his head on the palm of his hand, watching her, so she turned around so she was now facing him and asked with concern in her eyes. "You ok?"

He nodded with a sigh as he took her hand. "Yeah, I just had to make sure that you were ok." He sighed again before he continued. "I know that sounded stupid."

She shook her head with a smile as she brought their hands up to her lips and kissed his hand softly before replying. "It's not, I get what you mean, especially after everything that had happened. I think that's why I woke up myself, to make sure that you were ok."

He gave her a little smile as he slipped his hand out of hers to cup her cheek. "If you had been in that box, I don't know what I would have done."

She moved so she was mirroring his position and cupped his cheek as she comforted him. "I know exactly what you would have done, you would have found me. But you don't have to worry about that, I'm here and I'm ok." She then closed her eyes and shivered a little, not from being cold but what she thought next. "Besides, I came closer to losing you than you losing me yesterday."

Grissom moved closer to her and whispered in a comforting tone. "Hey, I'm here, I made it out, I'm ok."

She opened her eyes with tears in in them. "Good, because I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Well, you don't have to think about that because I'm not going anywhere, at least not without you."

She smiled as she leaned toward his lips. "You better not."

"Yes, de..."

He gets cut off from finishing his sentence, but he didn't mind, and started kissing her back, which while it was passionate like earlier, there wasn't a desperation to it, this one was filled with nothing but love, until things started to take a more passionate turn when her hand went for the hem of his shirt, so he slowed them down and pulled back, and she asked with curiosity after opening her eyes. "What's wrong?"

He cups her cheek again and asked. "Are you sure? We can do this another time, a more..."

She cuts him off with a smile. "Romantic time?" He nodded shyly before Sara spoke. "Thank you for the suggestion, but you know I don't need the whole candle and flowers thing."

He nodded while looking at her with sincerity. "I know that, but I want you to feel special, for you to know that you are very special to me."

Feeling emotional, but keeping her tears back, she nodded while placing her hand top of his. "I do know that. I feel it every time I'm with you, and most importantly I see it in your eyes every time you look at me." She took a breath before finishing. "Now, I'm not saying you always have to skip that part, I'm just saying right now, I only want you. I'm ready to take our relationship to the next level. I love you, Gil." She moved closer to him and kissed him softly on the lips before whispering against them. "Please, let me show you how much."

She kissed him softly two more times before pulling back, and when Grissom saw in her eyes that she was really ready for this, he leaned toward her and started kissing her this time while they moved so her back was now on the mattress with him above her.

Eventually their top layer of clothing came off, but before they took things even further, he pulled back, and when they were looking at one another again, their eyes were filled with nothing but love, passion and desire, he asked. "You still sure?"

She smiled as she cupped her cheek. "More than ever."

He smiled in return before he kissed her lips again, both losing themselves in these new wonderful feelings of it being their first time together.

* * *

Hours later an alarm clock starts ringing, making them both groan before they opened their eyes, and after Sara lifts her head from Grissom's smooth bare chest, he reaches over, turns the alarm clock off and laid back down with a sigh before her head lays back down on him, making him smile as he ran a hand up and down her bare arm. "Good Morning."

She smiled in return as she ran her thumb up and down his skin. "Yes it is."

He kissed the top of her head and asks. "How are you doing? You ok?"

She moves her head and places her chin on top of her hand that rested on his chest and replied with her eyes sparkling like never before, only making his heart skip a few beats, knowing that it was him that brought that look to her face. "I'm better than ok. You?"

Like with her, his eyes were also sparkling, and she was very proud that she was the cause of his look too.

He smiled a little wider and cupped her cheek. "Better than ever." Then he finished softly. "Thank you."

She raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For simply just loving me."

She smiled brightly as she moved so their lips were lined up and she whispered in return. "Loving you is the easy part, it is making you believe that it's real, is the pain in the butt." They kissed softly on the lips before she finished with nothing but love in her eyes. "But just like I always knew, all that waiting was worth it, you are worth it."

They started kissing again, even getting as far as her back on the mattress again, but things didn't progress any further because he sighed against her lips before pulling back and whispering. "And as much as I would love to stay in bed with you all day, we do have to have breakfast with Catherine and Lindsey before they go back to Miami. Plus, I have a meeting later."

She nodded her head about the breakfast with Catherine and Lindsey, but asked as she watched Grissom, who was in his boxers, get out of bed and headed for his dresser. "A meeting with who? Ec..."

Grissom cuts her off with a smile. "Please, don't mention his name while in my bed, but yeah."

She chuckled with a nod. "Good point." After catching an old UCLA t-shirt he tossed to her, she asked while putting it on. "Is it about getting the team back?"

"Yeah, as far as I know everybody is still on board with that, unless you've..."

She cuts him with a smile. "No, I haven't changed my mind. I mean don't get me wrong, Nick was a wonderful boss, but I just miss working with you."

He walked to her side of the bed, cupped her cheek and whispered. "I've missed working with you too."

They kissed softly on the lips a few times before he kissed her on the forehead, and after pulling back, he smiled. "I won't be long."

She nodded as she watched him walk around the bed so he could head to his bathroom, but before he fully walked in to it, he said. "Hey Sara?"

"Yeah?"

With that full Grissom look that she loves, he casually mentions. "You know, maybe we should move in together." She looked at him a little shocked as he finishes with a smile. "Something for you to think about." Before finally walking into the bathroom and closing the door, leaving a wide-eyed Sara sitting there in his bed.

* * *

Once she had her shower and they were ready to leave, they got into their own vehicles and headed for the diner, where Carly, Catherine and Lindsey were already there, and not before long Greg and Warrick showed up, so eventually everybody ordered their food and waited, which as they were waiting, Catherine got tell them that despite missing everybody here, she liked her new job and loved the friends she was making there.

As the food started to come, Grissom asked with a smile towards Lindsey. "So, Lindsey, how do you like Miami?"

The blond haired, blue eyed 12 year old smiled. "I like it very much, I have these four amazing friends." Then she thought in her mind. _'Not to mention one of those friends is my boyfriend.'_

"Then it sounds like you are fitting in nicely."

Lindsey's smile got a little bit brighter. "I am." She then looked at her mother. "And if I never said it, thank you mom for moving us down there."

Catherine couldn't help but smirk as she replied. "That wasn't your response when we first moved there, in fact you said some pretty strong words."

Defending herself, but doing it respectfully, she replied. "Well, you took me out of a place that I've known my whole life, so of course I felt I had a right to be a little upset about it. But now, after fully thinking about it, I can see why you did it. I'm aloud to change my response after further analyzing the situation, right? Isn't that what you CSI's do?"

They all chuckled, first real chuckle as a group since finding out about Nick's abduction before Greg smirked. "She does have a point."

Catherine nodded with a smile at her daughter. "That she does, and you're welcome."

Lindsey nodded as she goes back to eating while the rest of them continued to eat and talk, then after a bit, Warrick spoke as he lowered his empty coffee mug on the table. "I'm going to head to the hospital to see Nicky, anybody want to come?"

Catherine looked at her watch before nodding in agreement. "I have time, I would like to go."

Grissom then spoke with a sigh. "I'll have to do it later, I have a meeting with Ecklie."

Understanding why he did, they just nodded while getting up from their seats as the rest of the group agreed they would also like to see him, so after Grissom shares a goodbye hug with Catherine and Lindsey, the group started to leave the table, and Sara mentioned she'll meet them there so they didn't wait around.

After Grissom placed money on the table, him and Sara started walking out of the diner as he asked after clearing his throat. "You ok, you seemed a little distracted in there?"

Most of the talking and asking questions was done by everybody, but Sara, she seemed to still be in a little shocked state over what he had asked before they had left his condo

"You think?" They stop at her vehicle before she continued quietly. "My boyfriend asked me to move in with him just as casually as if he was asking about the weather, so yeah I'm a little distracted, and I'll admit still shocked." Before he could speak, she continued. "It took you four years just to ask me out on a date, but only five months to ask to live with me?" She then couldn't help but smirk at the last part. "Where did my cautious bugman go?"

He gave her a little smile before replying after a sigh. "I spent years running from what I wanted the most, wasting time when I could've had it all with you a lot sooner. I'm just tired of holding back."

Sara smiled softly at him with understanding in her eyes. "I get it Griss, I really do, especially after Nick's ordeal." She sighed before finishing. "But moving in together is still a big-step, no matter how you look at it, and I don't want this to be a knee-jerk reaction, so can I have a little more time to think about it?" She then hurriedly tired to continue. "I'm not saying..."

But Grissom cuts her off with a smile. "You don't have to explain every time you need time after something I suggest, and of course take all the time that you need. I don't want you to feel pressured into doing anything you're not ready for, I'm just putting it out there to let you to know that I am all in."

Her brown eyes sparkled with a nod. "I see that, and you know that I'm all in, too, right?" He nodded as she finished with a smirk, but with love. "Just not all in one swoop, ok?"

He smiled again with his blue eyes sparkling. "Alright, and you're right."

After making sure no one they knew was still around, she cupped his cheek and replied. "I love you, and knowing how far you see us going and are willing to get there, only makes me love you even more, so never be afraid on telling me how you feel or what you want."

"Ok, and don't ever be afraid on telling me if I'm moving too fast." He stopped and chuckled a little as he shook his head. "I never thought I would hear myself say that."

"It's sweet." Sara smiled as she ran her thumb up and down his cheek. "I just don't want us to crash and burn, you are the best thing that has ever come in to my life and I don't want to do anything that will make me lose you, especially now."

"And you won't, I promise."

After a moment of just looking at one another, she finally removed her hand and cleared her throat. "I uh, I better go or they'll wonder what happened to me."

"Me too. I'll see you later?"

She smiled with a nod. "Yeah you will."

They made sure they were still alone before kissing softly on the lips, and after they pulled back, he whispered. "Love you."

"Love you too."

After making sure she got into her vehicle, he got into his and they drove their separate ways.

* * *

After their visit, Carly, Greg, Warrick, Sara, Catherine, and Lindsey walked out of the hospital building, and one by one they started to say goodbye to Catherine and Lindsey before walking towards their vehicles, until only Warrick was left with the women.

Once he hugged Lindsey goodbye, she smiled at her mom and asked. "Can I go to the vehicle?"

Catherine nodded as she handed her the keys, and after making sure her daughter got there, she turned around to look at Warrick, still feeling like she's always felt for him, but knowing that he now had a girlfriend, there wasn't much she could say, it was obvious that she missed out her chance with him, if she even had one to begin with.

She mentally shook her head and wrapped her arms around him for a hug, and he hugged her back while she whispered. "I'm happy for you, Warrick. That's all I ever wanted for you." He just nodded, still feeling up with so much emotion from everything that had happened with Nick and seeing her again.

He cleared his throat and whispered. "And I'm glad you are making it in Miami, even though I miss you. I mean we all do."

She smiled with a nod as they pulled back. "I miss you guys too. Maybe next time we are all together again it is under better circumstances."

He smiled in return. "I would have to agree to that."

After several seconds of just looking at one another, their hearts racing, she finally looked away. "I better go, I don't want to miss my flight. Bye, Warrick."

"Bye, Catherine."

After one more long look, Catherine turned and started walking away as he watched her till he couldn't see them anymore, his heart breaking once again on letting the woman he loved go without telling her how he really felt.

He cared about Tina, but how he felt about Catherine was so much more, and it was apparent from the moment he saw her yesterday, there was no way he was ever going to fully get over her. If there was one thing he learned from Nick's ordeal, it was that life can be so short sometimes, so maybe it was time he rethink a few things.

He took a breath before walking towards his vehicle, his mind and heart already on overdrive on what he should do next.

* * *

AN: Important decisions will be made next chapter. Thanks for reading and please review.


	9. Taking the risk

AN: Thanks for the reviews and support, here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 9: Taking the risk

A week later

Grissom was in his office, finishing up his paperwork when he head a knock on his door.

"Come in."

The door opened a second later before he heard Warrick's voice. "Hey Griss, can I talk to you about something?"

Grissom looked up from his paperwork and smiled at the young man. "Yeah, sure."

He then sets his pen down as the other man walked up to his desk, holding a piece of paper in his hand, then after a moment, he cleared his throat and handed it to him. "I need you to sign off on this."

Grissom took the piece of paper, read what it said and looked up at Warrick. "You want some vacation time?"

"Yeah, only for a couple of days, shorter if my plans don't go right." He then sighed before finishing, knowing it was going to be hard for the older man to hear. "But if they do go right, I'll come back until Nick returns, then I'm leaving again, for good."

Grissom looked a little shocked, and admittedly a little sad. "Really?"

"I'm sorry. I hate to do this to you, but this is something I know I have to do."

Seeing he was serious, like a man on a mission, Grissom nodded his head as he lowered the vacation form down on his desk, and as he was signing his name on the bottom, he asked. "So, may I ask where you are going?"

Warrick didn't even hesitate. "Miami."

Grissom looked up at him in surprise after he finished signing his name, then asked again as he handed the form back to him. "Catherine?"

Warrick nodded again, his smile showing up on his face each second. "Yeah."

Grissom still looked a little shocked as he asked. "But I thought Sara mentioned a girlfriend?"

"And she was a wonderful woman, but it's always been Catherine, no matter how much I tried to push it away. And seeing her again, despite the circumstance, only reminded me on how much I really do love her. I just hope she feels the same as me."

Grissom nodded in understanding before commenting. "You know it's a risk putting your heart on the line with only 'hope' guiding you."

"True, but some risks are worth taking, and for me this is one of them. I don't want to look back one day and regret never at least trying."

Knowing exactly how that felt, Grissom could do nothing but agree. "Then I only wish you good Luck." Warrick smiled again with a nod before Grissom finished with a smirk. "Even though the selfish part of me doesn't want to see you leave."

Looking at him with sympathy, he held out his hand toward the older man, the man he's looked up to since he walked into the lab eight years ago. "I know, and I would hate to lose you as my boss, but I..."

Grissom cuts him off as he took the other man's hand. "You have to follow your heart on this one, I understand."

As they released hands, Warrick spoke again after clearing his throat. "Thank you for never giving up on me, you are the best man that I have ever known and I feel blessed and honored to have called you my boss/mentor."

Feeling up with emotion, but keeping it down, Grissom replied after clearing his throat. "You're welcome, and I feel blessed to call you my student, you are a great CSI, don't let them forget that in Miami, if your plans go the way you want them to that is."

"Yes sir." They smiled at one another before Warrick finished. "Bye, Griss."

"Bye, Warrick."

Warrick then turns around and walks out of Grissom's office, shutting the door behind him while Grissom smiled a little, yeah he'll miss him like he said, but if everything goes right, he just wants him to be happy. Both of them, really, they deserve a happy ending, or, more like a new, happy beginning.

* * *

Later that Morning

While they were eating breakfast at his condo, Grissom had asked Sara about her night/case, and after filling him in, she asked before taking a bite of her pancake. "So, did anything exciting or unexpected happen with you?"

He nodded as he took a bite of his breakfast before replying after swallowing. "Yeah, we might be losing another team member."

She looked a little shocked as she asked. "Is it Nick? Did he decide to..."

Grissom cuts her off with a shake of the head. "No, Warrick. He asked for some vacation time, then said if everything goes to plan, he is transferring." He paused for a second before finishing. "To Miami."

She slowly smiled, feeling like she knew why he would pick that location, and also now understanding why she did sense a 'but' when she found out about the new woman in his life.

"Catherine?"

He nodded with a smile in return. "Yeah, can you believe it?"

She paused to think about it for a few seconds before nodding her head. "Actually, yeah. I've witnessed a few flirty moments and lingering looks through the years, there is definitely potential there. So, I say good for him, them, really. Just as long as they are happy." She then sighed. "Although, I will miss him in the lab."

Despite their rocky beginnings, they have become close friends, especially during the months she was on his and Nick's team on swing shift.

He nodded in agreement. "I will too." She gave him a sympathy look, knowing how he felt about the other man, as he took a sip of his coffee, then as he placed it back on the table, he spoke again. "I told him it was a risk putting his heart on the line with only 'hope' guiding him, but you know what he told me? He said that some risks are worth taking, and that he would regret it if he never at least tried."

Looking at him with loving eyes, she replied. "I don't disagree with that statement."

He gave her a smile as he moved his hand to cover hers. "Me neither."

She gave him a small smile before she cleared her throat and slipped her hand out from under his so she could stand up and take her dishes to the sink. "You uh, you didn't always feel that way."

When they started to become closer, especially after he told her about his hearing, they talked about everything, well, except the time where she heard him talking to a suspect on how he couldn't risk it.

He turned around in his seat and asked in concern. "Sara?"

She took a breath as she placed her dishes in the sink before turning around to look at him. "I heard you. Last year, I was in the observing room when you were talking about not able to take a risk."

He sighed as he stood up, then he walked up to her until he was standing in front of her. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, I can only imagine on how that made you feel, and I wish I can lie and say that's not how I felt, but I can't. I mean the thought of knowing how it feels to be with you, to kiss you, to hold you, to touch you..." He closed his eyes for a second before opening them up while speaking softly/emotionally. "Just for you to walk away from me when you find someone new, someone younger, would absolutely wreck me."

Sara's heart was breaking for him, so she cupped his cheek and spoke with comfort and love. "That would never happen, I hope you really know that now."

He nodded as he spoke softly again. "I do. I can see that, now that I let my heart guide me more."

She smiled with tears in her eyes as she ran her thumb up and down his cheek. "Good, because like what you said last week, I'm not going anywhere without you. It's you and me, always." He smiled as she brought him closer to her so they could place their foreheads together and close their eyes.

After a few moments, she asked as they pulled back. "Can I ask what made you change your mind about risking it?"

He nodded. "The night I got the phone call about your almost DUI." She closed her eyes and looked down with a groan, still embarrassed about that night, as he continued. "My first thought was 'I hope she's ok', then when I thought that if something more terrible had happened to you, and that I never got to know what it felt like to hold you, kiss you, touch you, I would have really regretted that and never forgive myself. And couple that with the whole 'you could really be too late by the time I figured it out' statement, never felt more truer in my life, so I knew I had to do something. I couldn't live being scared anymore."

By the time he finished talking, she had eye contact with him again, and she spoke with a smile. "You know, despite how confident I said that, I don't think that statement would have been true. I think I would have waited forever for you."

With his eyes sparkling, he replied with a smile. "I'm glad I didn't wait forever."

She chuckled as she cupped his cheek again. "Oh, me too, look how many moments we would have missed out on."

He wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her closer as he whispered. "Too many, and I don't want to miss anymore that concerns us."

"Me neither." They kissed softly a few times before she pulled back, and with the best Sara smile Grissom had ever seen, she said. "And that's why I've decided to say yes to moving in with you."

Grissom's eyes lit up. "Really?"

With the smile still on her face, she nodded. "Yeah, it is a risk, but if you're willing to take it and believe we can make this work now, then so do I. Let's do it."

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's do it."

They stared in each other's eyes, practically beaming, they couldn't be happier in this moment.

* * *

AN: Ok, the bad news is that next chapter is the last one in the story, but the good news is there could be a sequel, and a few more after that, if you all want it, so let me know. Thanks for reading and please review.


	10. Moving in

AN: Thanks for the continuing support, here is the last chapter. Warning: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior.

* * *

Chapter 10: Moving in

June, 2005

When Warrick returned to the lab four days after he had left to go to Miami, he came back with news that he will be leaving the lab and staying in Miami permanently, which at first they all had mixed emotions on that, but ultimately they just wanted him, and as the case was, Catherine and Lindsey to be happy, so they supported his decision without much argument.

Now it was three weeks later and Nick had returned to the lab yesterday from his much needed break after what he went through, but that also meant it was time to say goodbye to Warrick, so after the team had breakfast with him, they had an emotional goodbye before everybody parted, going their separate ways for the day until they would meet again later tonight for the start of shift. Well, everybody went their separate ways but Sara and Grissom, they went in the same direction, the condo.

After arriving back at the condo, Grissom opened the door for them and let her walk in first, and once he was in, he closed the door and stood next to her, looking at her unpacked boxes that was stacked up in the living room and kitchen while thinking about the ones that were in the bedroom and bathroom.

Also, during that three week period, Sara and Grissom were preparing her move in with him. They talked and decided what furniture had to go, stay or buy new, where her items will go on the walls, the shelves, in the closet, inside drawers and the cupboards, now they were finally at the last phase of her officially moving in. Well, technically second to last phase, their new couch, a couple of end tables, coffee table and bed will be here tomorrow sometime after shift.

Sara sighed a little, looking at the work that was ahead of them before she spoke as she placed her jacket and messenger bag on the coat rack. "Shall we get started?"

Before she could take a step, he lightly took her wrist in his hand and asked softly. "Are you sure this is where you want to be?"

Sara looked over at him with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk, but she had to admit there was a slight worry in her tone as well. "You're you not getting cold feet on me now, are you?"

He immediately shook his head with a smile before cupping her cheek. "Absolutely not, I just want to make sure you still want to live here, because we can find a different pla..."

She cuts him off with a smile as she placed her hand on his that was on her cheek. "And we already talked about this, as wonderful as your suggestion was to finding a new place that we can pick out together was, I still want to be here, I like it here."

Maybe down the road she could see them bringing this conversation back up, but right now, she didn't mind living here.

Seeing no doubt in her eyes, he nodded with a smile. "Ok, let's start unpacking then. Living room and kitchen first?"

After she nodded, they removed their hands from one another and started the their new task at getting her settled in.

* * *

Hours later, and after placing the last of her clothes in the bedroom closet, she took a step back with a sigh of completion before smiling. "There, I'm officially moved in."

Grissom, who was standing in the middle of the room, smiled as he pulled a box out of his pocket. "Almost, I think you'll be needing this."

Sara turned around and looked at him, holding the box in the palm of his hand before looking at him a little wide-eyes. "Griss?"

He smirked with his eyes sparkling. "Relax, it isn't what you are thinking." When she still hadn't moved towards him, he continued softly. "Come on, it's not going to bite."

She bit her lip while walking towards the middle of the room, then she took a breath as she grabbed the box from his hand, and after an encouraging look on his face and in his eyes, she looked back down at it and lifted the lid up until it revealed a key inside, making her heart skip a beat with unexpected tears in her eyes as all these emotions came flowing through her.

Feeling concerned about seeing the tears, Grissom cups her cheek and asks. "Sara, what's wrong? Did I do something?"

She nodded while sniffling before replying softly. "Yeah, you did." He was about to ask, but she continued before he could. "You've given me a home, a true home, something I've never really felt I had before, so thank you from the bottom of my heart."

He smiled with his eyes misting up a little while bringing her in his arms and kissing the top of her head, whispering. "My pleasure, honey." She sighed in content while in his arms, just soaking up all the love she felt for this wonderful man.

After a few minutes, they started to pull back, and she spoke after clearing her throat. "Maybe we should wash up a little, and get some rest."

He nodded in agreement, and after a quick kiss, they started to get ready for some much needed rest.

* * *

About five hours later Sara woke up in bed with Grissom not there, so she gets out, goes to the bathroom before searching for the man she loved, finding him in the kitchen cooking up their late lunch, so she smiled as she walked up to him, wrapped her arms around her and kissed the top of his shirt covered shoulder. "Hey."

He smiled as he placed the what will become a grilled cheese sandwich on the pan. "Hey, how well did you sleep in our bed?"

Hearing the world 'our' made her smile, but she did smirk in return. "Well, technically it's still your bed, our bed doesn't come in until tomorrow." He chuckled and shook his head before she continued after another kiss, this time on his cheek. "But very well, thank you for asking."

"You're welcome."

After one more kiss on the cheek, she moved from him to get glasses for their drinks, and after pouring the juice in them, she walked to the kitchen/dinning room table and sat them down on top of it before sitting down with a science magazine as she waited for their meal to be done cooking, and once it was, they enjoyed a quiet and comfortable meal together.

* * *

When they were done eating and the dishes were taken care of, they headed back to the bedroom, sat up in bed and started on today's crossword puzzle, a tradition they had started a few months ago, once he learned to let her help that is.

After solving the latest clue, Sara, who had her head on his shoulder, asked softly. "Is it always going to be like this?"

He paused before asking. "What? Doing crosswords in bed or crosswords in general?"

She smiled and shook her head. "The feeling of content, peacefulness."

He moved his head to the side and kissed the top of her head before replying. "I hope so." Then he sighed a little as he looked back down at the crossword puzzle. "But, I'm sure eventually we'll have our moments."

Sadly, she replied. "Yeah, probably, more than likely, even."

They both knew that it wasn't always going to be perfect and sunshine every moment, it was just how they handled their imperfect moments that will be key on how they move forward.

Grissom heard the sadness in her voice, and knowing what he knew about her childhood, he wouldn't have been a bit surprised if there was a little fear in there too, so he stopped what he was doing, took his glasses off, moved, making Sara move her head in confusion, before he turned to her and cupped her cheek after placing his glasses and the crossword puzzle on the nightstand, speaking with a tender look and tone. "Please listen to me, I want you to know that no matter how angry we ever get towards one another at any point of our life together, I will never hurt you, you are and will always be safe in our home, I promise, you are safe with me, ok?"

Sara nodded with tears in her eyes. "I know that I'm safe with you."

While he did try to keep his emotions at bay, his voice did crack a little as he continued. "I'm glad you believe that, I need you to believe that. I don't want you to ever be scared of me."

Hearing his voice and seeing all the different emotions in his eyes, made a few tears go down her cheek as she cupped his cheek this time. "And I never will be, you are the most loving and gentlest man I ever known, and I know that will never change, even on our unhappiest days."

He wiped her tears away that was on her cheek with a smile. "I love you, so much."

There were no tears on his cheeks, but she still ran a thumb up and down it as she whispered with love. "And I love you."

They lean toward one another until their lips touched softly and gently, until the air around them shifted and their kissing started to get deeper and passionate. They pull back after several minutes to look in their eyes, and when neither one had a bit of rejection in them, they smiled before bringing their lips back together to continue where they had left off while she leaned back so her back was now against the mattress, taking him with her willingly.

* * *

After some time later

Now wearing just his shirt with the sheet up their waists, she had her head on his bare chest, listening to his heart beat easing its way to a normal beat, and she smiled after a few minutes of silence. "And I hope we always have moments like this."

He took a breath and kissed the top of her head before whispering with a smirk. "What, being thoroughly loved and cherished."

She chuckled before commenting. "Listen to you, a little full of yourself right now, I see."

He chuckled a little, making her feel the vibrations, so she closed her eyes to immerse the feel of it before he spoke with a playful tone. "You wound me, dear."

She slowly opened her eyes as she ran thumb over the skin on his chest as she replied. "However, you are right." He just made a smirking noise as she moved her head so she could look his eyes. "I was thoroughly loved and cherished."

He smiled tenderly as he cupped her cheek and ran this thumb up and down on it. "I'm glad."

After a long look, she turned her head to kiss his palm before speaking again as she laid her head back down on his chest. "But what I was really referring to was just having moments where I am in your arms, no matter what we are doing before I get them around me."

He wrapped both arms around her this time and kissed her head again before whispering. "For as long as you want."

She closed her eyes again with a sigh as she snuggled closer to him, if that was even possible as she whispered. "Good, because I was kind of thinking forever."

He sighed in content as he closed his eyes too. "I could get on board with that."

She just 'hummed' against his skin as they continued to lay there basking in their love, both thankful on where they were at and where they were headed, together.

* * *

AN:I hope overall you enjoyed this. I heard you and there will be a sequel. Also don't worry, it won't be the last you'll see of Warrick and Catherine, so stayed tuned :)

Thanks again for the support, it really means a lot, and until next time, enjoy the rest of your week/weekend.

GSR4ever!


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